Family Ties
by xXWinterprinceXx
Summary: Not long after receiving a strange warning in a dream, Killian finds himself forced to go to Camelot and deal with a long forgotten enemy. The heroes follow to aid him, but soon they are pulled into a net of family secrets and intrigues, with a foe who seems to bring back the dead. Killian is reunited with his family, but can he trust them? Mentions of rape/Minor character death
1. Prologue

**This is the first chapter of my contribution to this year's Captain Swan Big Bang. If you don't know them, please check them out on tumblr, you might find many other stories that you like :D**

 **A huge thanks to my wonderful beta onceuponadisneypotter, feel free to check out her blog on tumblr or AO3 (same name).**

 **Also, thisisartyanna made an amazing artwork for this particular scene, you can find her on tumblr, as well! Oh, and the cover is also her work :)**

 **Anyway, enough talk. Everything is said. Here goes.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, I just like playing with them.**

* * *

The throne room of Camelot was bursting with people. The Knights of the Round Table were guarding the king and the prisoner while ordinary guardsmen were struggling to hold off the ferocious mob. Peasants, clerics and lords, they all had come to see the downfall of Morgana le Fay, half-sister to their king.

Arthur himself sat on the throne, raised above the common people, Excalibur placed on his lap and his head held high. There was a royal dignity in his posture that radiated power and pride. His face betrayed no emotion but for the sadness in his eyes as looked down on his sister.

He was guarded by Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain, two of his most trusted knights. Gawain, his loyal cousin, stood to his right, and Lancelot, his oldest friend, to his left.

Morgana was guarded by Sir Percival and Sir Kay. They held her down on her knees, where she had to lift her head to look upon the king. She seemed unaffected by all the insulting screams from the mob, not even looking up when a decayed egg was thrown at her. Her long, dark hair screened her face from them, and her eyes were fixed on her brother as she waited for the trial to begin.

Just once her gaze flickered to the queen, Guinevere, who sat at Arthur's side, a little further behind. The pity on the queen's beautiful face was plain, and she tensed at every insult thrown at the prisoner.

Only one knight guarded her, only Sir Tristan. Rumor had it Arthur never let any man near his queen but the loyal knights whose heart belonged to another.

"People of Camelot", Arthur began. "We have gathered here today to decide the fate of Morgana Jones née le Fay. Morgana, you have been accused of witchery by your husband. Do you deny the crime?"

Morgana hesitated for a moment."No", she answered, her voice loud and clear.

The screams in the mob got louder.

' _She doesn't even deny it!'_

' _Witch!'_

' _Burn her!'_

"You are aware that witchery is forbidden by the law of Camelot, and punishable by death?" Arthur continued, his iron voice cutting through the noise like a sword.

"I am", Morgana replied, her eyes locked with his.

"Then that be your fate", Arthur said, quietly and yet well audible.

The shouts reached their peak at these words.

' _Burn her! She has to die!'_

"NO!" A boy of maybe twelve screamed on the other side of the hall, reserved for the family of the accused. The dark haired man next to him held him back as he tried to get to his mother. The boy yanked his arm free, but remained silent.

Morgana, who had observed the scene with a slight turn of her head, closed her eyes for a moment.

Lancelot stirred. He turned to the king.

"She is your sister, my liege", he whispered in his deep, calm voice.

Arthur sighed as he watched all manner of things being thrown at her, eggs, vegetables, insults.

"I know. But what can I do? I told her not to use magic", he answered, only for Lancelot to hear.

"Silence!" he demanded loudly.

A few last tomatoes were thrown. Morgana, as well as the guards holding her, was covered in decayed food from head to toe. Someone, it seemed, had even thrown horse dung.

"Your execution will be set for the next sunrise, the holy time of day. You will die by fire. You can spend the night praying that God has mercy with your soul."

Morgana didn't answer.

The crowd cheered.

' _She'll burn! The witch will burn!'_

"She never harmed anyone!" her son screamed, tears running down his cheeks.

"Don't", his father said quietly.

' _Burn her spawn, too!'_ , the crowd demanded.

"Quiet!" Arthur shouted. "Law demands that all _female_ offspring of a witch be burned with her. Do you have a daughter?"

Morgana looked at him in horror, eyes wide open, pleading. Lancelot slightly turned his head, looking at Arthur from the corner of his eyes.

"DO YOU?" Arthur yelled.

"Y-Yes", her husband answered.

" _Father_!" the son exclaimed.

Morgana flinched.

"Where is she?" the king asked.

The man looked down.

"My king, I thought she was too young to…"

"Bring her in. Bring ALL her children in!"

The door opened, and two guards entered. One dragged a girl of maybe ten years with him; the other one held an even younger boy.

"No, no, please!" Morgana was crying now. "I beg you! You can kill me, but don't harm my children!"

She swallowed hard.

"I always obeyed your law", she declared. "I never used magic since it was passed. I burned all my books and spells, I lived a normal life. But I had no choice! My younger son played with a knife and cut his face. The wound was infected. He would have died if I hadn't used magic to save him. To _heal_ him! Which is what I only ever used my magic for. To _heal_ people!"

She turned to the mob, her face covered in tears.

"You know that! I helped some of you. I saved your lives! Is this how you repay me?"

Some people looked away, clearly embarrassed, but someone threw another handful of dung and hit her right in the face.

The crowd burst into laughter, and more things were thrown.

' _100 points if you hit that whore's face! 150 if you get one between her tits!',_ someone shouted.

Morgana turned away. Her hands were bound behind her back, and she couldn't wipe her face clean.

"Leave her alone!" the older son demanded again. A tomato was thrown at him then, too, and the guards placed themselves in front of him.

Arthur turned to see the younger son. He had a fresh scar on his cheek and was fighting to break free from the guard that held him.

His gaze lingered on the boy for a second or two, and the corner of his mouth twitched when he watched him fight.

Then he turned back to the prisoner.

Morgana took a deep breath to calm her sobs.

" _To by no means be cruel but to give mercy unto him who asks for mercy._ Isn't that part of the Code of Chivalry? And I am begging you for mercy! Not for myself, but for my daughter! She is eleven years old!"

Arthur considered it for a while and finally rose from his throne.

"The girl may live. But the witch must die!" he announced.

Shouts of protest came from the crowd.

Arthur thrust Excalibur in the granite stone by his feet.

"I AM THE KING!" he thundered. "AND WHEN I SAY THE GIRL LIVES, SHE LIVES!"

He gestured for the guards to bring Morgana to her cell.

In that moment the younger boy forcefully stepped on the guard's foot and broke free. He ran towards Arthur and grabbed the only weapon he could see, the sword Excalibur.

With one swift movement, he pulled it from the stone and tried to point it at Arthur, not quite able to hold its weight.

"Let her go!" he screeched, unaware of the shocked gasps around him.

Morgana inhaled sharply.

"Killian!" his father hissed. "Get back here!"

"Put down the sword, boy", Arthur said tensed.

Lancelot came up behind the boy and lifted him off his feet, holding him tight while Arthur took the sword from his grip.

The guards took the boy again, this time two of them.

Arthur stared at the sword, then at the boy, and last of all at Morgana.

The people around were silent, still not able to grasp what had just happened.

Suddenly there were murmurs.

' _Fraud!'_

' _There ain't no magic sword!'_

They turned into angry shouts.

"QUIET", Arthur screamed. "Tomorrow, the witch and her daughter will burn. Her husband and sons will attend the execution to see what happens to those who disobey me. And if they are ever seen in Camelot after sundown, they will be killed. I hereby exile them! Now EVERYBODY OUT!"

One by one, the common people left the hall, followed by the guards who dragged the prisoner and her family with them. When the door closed, the only ones left in the hall were Arthur, Lancelot and Guinevere, who had remained silent throughout the trial.

Now she rose to her feet.

"How could you!" she said, her voice trembling with anger. "You sentenced your sister and a _child_ to death!"

"I am well aware, thank you!" Arthur answered through gritted teeth.

He thrust Excalibur back into the stone and braced himself on the throne. Suddenly he kicked it with a scream of rage.

"Pull it out!" he said to Lancelot. "The sword! Pull it out of the stone!"

Lancelot exchanged a look with Guinevere.

"My liege, you know as well as I do that…"

"PULL IT OUT!"

Lancelot slowly walked towards Excalibur and grabbed it. He pulled, but nothing happened.

"PULL HARDER!"

Lancelot obeyed, but the sword would still not move.

"YOU'RE BLUFFING!" he yelled, coming up next to him and roughly pulling at his arm. When the sword still didn't come free, he let go.

He sank onto his throne, exhausted.

"I'm sorry", he whispered, covering his face with his hands. "I'm sorry."

For a moment Lancelot thought he was crying.

"There is still time to save them", he suggested. "Exile them, together with the boys."

"No. I can't do that. The boy pulled out Excalibur in front of all these people! They laugh at me! I had to do something to regain their respect!"

"And killing a little girl is the way?" Guinevere hissed.

"Morgana shouldn't have used magic. The moment she did, and her husband betrayed her, there was nothing I could do for her. I am the _king_ , and I can't even save my sister!"

"So you would have preferred it if she let your _son_ die?" Lancelot asked quietly.

Arthur jerked his head up and pointed a finger at him. "Careful, Lancelot. Don't make me regret I trusted you with that secret."

"Soon it won't be a secret anymore. Not now, after he pulled out the sword. Rumors spread faster than diseases. He does look a lot like you."

"He also looks a lot like his mother, let's hope they fall for that. His stepfather did."

He sighed.

"If Kay hadn't been there when her husband reported her, none of this would've happened. If I had been alone, I could have made it subtle."

"No!" Guinevere crossed her arms. "If you hadn't slept with your sister, none of this would have happened!"

"It was eight years ago, we weren't even engaged and you're still angry at me. It was a mistake! But I can't take it out on the boy, can I?"

Lancelot knelt before Arthur.

"My king, let me help her. Morgana helped me when no one else would. I wouldn't be standing here if it wasn't for her. I owe everything to her! Let me free her, and the girl. I can leave Camelot today, we will be far away by sunrise. You can tell them I betrayed you. We could go to Misthaven, nobody would find us. I can make sure her family is fine, including your son!"

Arthur shook his head.

"No. It's too risky. We can't save her. But we could still save the girl, I suppose. Burn a peasant child in her place, nobody would know the difference."

"That you would even suggest that!" Guinevere gasped.

"Do you have a better idea? There is nothing we can do for them!" Arthur rose from his throne.

"If we could prove that magic can be used for good…", Lancelot started, but Arthur yanked up his left sleeve, exposing the big ugly scar that began somewhere under his glove and went up his arm.

"Don't praise the dragon that burns your foe, it could turn its head and kill you the same. My father knew what he was doing when he passed that law. Or have you forgotten what happened in Dumnonia?"

His piercing blue eyes burned into the other man.

"I won't allow the same thing to happen to Camelot."

Without another word, he left the hall.

Guinevere looked at Lancelot. She came forward and gently touched his arm.

"Can you save them?" she asked pleadingly.

The knight nodded.

"I will try. But I think I will need the help of an old friend."


	2. Mordred

**Disclaimer: Characters are still not mine. Sadly.**

* * *

 _Killian found himself in what appeared to be a garden. The grass was greener than any grass he had ever seen before, and the apple trees around him carried ripe, red fruits, their sweet scent filling the air. Birds sang cheerful songs, and the sun shone brightly in the blue sky right above him. There was no fence, but tall hedges, closing off the orchard and leaving but a narrow space for a person to walk enter or leave._

 _Where was he? How did he get here? He couldn't remember._

 _Not knowing what else to do, he started walking, taking in the view. There was no one near, at least not that he saw. "Hello?" he asked, his voice raised. No answer came._

 _He left the garden and passed a giant oak that seemed to be a hundred years old. Its branches stretched far and provided cool, shadowy spots. Not far from the tree, the ground ended in a cliff. From where he was standing, he could hear the sea murmuring softly as the waves washed against the rock. The faintest breeze caressed his face as he peered closer to the edge, carrying a hint of salt and seaweed._

 _When he finally looked down, he released a breath he felt like he'd held for months. He seemed to be on an island or peninsula, surrounded by water wherever he looked. There, on the horizon, was a faint shadow, indicating land. The water was clear blue, reflecting the sky, with glistening waves dancing all around._

 _He'd missed it. He'd missed it so much._

" _Beautiful, isn't it?"_

 _He spun around. Beneath the oak sat the most beautiful women he had ever seen. She had long, dark hair, and she was clad in a teal silken dress. Her back rested against the tree, and her arms were casually locked around her knees._

 _Killian was sure that she hadn't been here ten seconds ago. The woman smiled brightly as she patted the spot next to her, inviting him to come closer._

 _He obeyed, still mesmerized by her face. She reminded him of someone, or something, but he couldn't put a finger on it._

" _I like coming out here to think", she said after he had joined her in the shadow of the tree, careful to keep some distance between them._

 _His long years as a pirate captain had made him wary of strangers. And yet, his gaze was still fixed on her, and he was unable to look away._

 _He nodded, uncertain of what to say. Who was she? Where had she come from?_

" _It's, uh, very calming", he said when he realized she was waiting for his answer._

" _Indeed. The love for the sea runs in our family, my dear. But as you imagine, I didn't bring you here to chat about the ocean."_

" _Our family?" he asked, confused. How was she part of his family?His family was dead. He was certain he had never seen her in his life… and yet, he couldn't shake a feeling of familiarity._

" _Not now, Mordred", she cut him off sharply. "We have more important matters to discuss."_

 _Killian startled at the use of his middle name. Only few people knew it, and fewer had ever used it._

" _Avalon is in danger, and we need your help", the strange woman continued._

" _My help?" he asked, still a little dazzled as he struggled to take it all in. "How could I help? I don't even know… Avalon? We are in Avalon?"_

" _Yes, of course, where else would we be? You can help us, and you will find out soon enough, how, but for now I need you to be vigilant. What's threatening us is now stretching their arms towards you and your blood. Be very careful."_

 _The more she said, the more she confused him._

" _What is the threat? And what do you mean by blood? I'm the last of my family!"_

 _The woman looked around hectically. "We don't have much time. She knows I'm warning you…"_

 _Suddenly he felt dizzy, and his vision got blurry. Avalon blackened before his eyes._

" _Watch your back, Mordred!" he heard the woman say somewhere through the thick fog that filled his brain._

 _Then everything was gone. Another woman stood before him, shining clearly against the darkness surrounding them. Her dark, cold eyes fixed on him, and he immediately recognized her._

 _His heart hammered in his chest and he took a step back. "You…" he whispered._

 _Her lips formed a smile that looked like a death threat. "Hello,_ annwyl* _. Did you miss me?"  
_

...

Killian sat up straight in his bed, his pulse racing. His body was covered in sweat and he was panting. He wiped his face with his good hand and tried to calm his breathing. A dream. Just a dream.

Throwing back the blankets, he shakily got to his feet and staggered to the window. It was already dawn, and the first rays of sunlight lit up the main street, promising a warm spring day.

No sign of danger. He took a deep breath, calming down a little. It had really been nothing more than a dream.

"Are you alright?"

He flinched, turning around. Emma looked at him from beneath the sheets with a frown.

"Emma." Did he really forget she was there? "Sure. Everything alright, love. I'm just… I think I'm gonna take a shower."

"It's 6am!"

"Right. Best time to get up."

He grabbed a towel and headed to the bathroom.

"Why don't you come back to bed?" Emma asked with a seductive smile, and usually he would have been more than happy to comply. But he was still too upset to even think about that.

"Sorry love, maybe later", he said apologetically, closing the door behind him. As he felt the water run down his body, his pulse finally normalized.

Emma followed him with her gaze. She knew something was off. Killian wasn't a man to turn down sex, or, as he called it, lovemaking. The way he had basically fallen out of bed, not even looking at her… She felt the sheet next to her and realized it was wet with sweat.

Did he have a nightmare? It seemed ridiculous. He was a grown man, a pirate captain, and had surely seen enough in his two hundred years to not be afraid of a bad dream. Yet it appeared to be the only logical explanation for his behavior.

When he returned from the shower, he looked as if nothing had ever happened.

"I apologize for my rudeness, love, I wasn't myself."

He seemed a lot calmer, his dark hair towel-dry and messy.

"What did you say about coming back to bed…?"

His hand wandered to the towel around his hips, the only thing that covered him, with a wicked grin, ready to remove it in an instant.

"Killian, what's wrong?" she asked, her worry clearly written on her face.

"As I said, love, nothing to worry about."

He let go of his towel and sat on the edge of the mattress. He started gently running his fingers up and down her arm, leaning down to kiss her. She gently put a hand on his chest and pushed herself up in a sitting position.

"Stop distracting. What's wrong? You always tell me to talk about what's bothering me, well, your turn. What is it? Bad dream?"

He looked away, finally giving up on seducing her.

"It sounds rather childish if you say it like that…"

"I've never seen you that upset before, so it clearly isn't."

He sighed and lay down, crossing his arms behind his head.

"Aye, I had a dream. I wouldn't even consider it a nightmare, it simply… it reminded me of a lot of things that I haven't thought of in a long time. From my childhood."

"Oh!"

Emma didn't know what to say. He never talked about his childhood. It was hard to imagine him as a kid, without the experience of two hundred years weighing him down.

She was about to say something when her phone rang.

"Really?" she groaned. Now was really not the time! She saw that it was her father and sighed.

"I have to get this", she said apologetically. "If I don't, my dad will probably come looking for me. He still doesn't like you."

Killian shuddered. "Better tell him you're alright. I'd like to keep all my bits in place."

"Emma!" David said when she answered the phone. "I thought you weren't going to pick up! Where are you?"

"I'm with Killian."

"No details, please", he quickly interrupted, his voice sounding somewhat tortured. "I think that might already be too much. Look, we have kind of a situation here. How fast can you come to the docks?"

Emma frowned. "The docks? _Now?_ "

"Yes, now. When will you be here?"

"I don't know, twenty minutes?"

"Make it ten, if you can."

"I'll try."

Emma hung up, getting out of bed.

"What is it?" Killian asked.

"Crisis", she said while picking up her clothes from the floor.

Killian groaned.

"After eight bloody months! I thought we were done with this!"

He rolled out of bed, too, grabbing his pants.

"I know, but this is Storybrooke!" Emma shouted from the kitchen where she found her blouse.

...

When they reached the docks, they saw that the area was closed off with a fluttering ribbon. David was talking to Regina while Gold seemed to be inspecting the ground.

"So, what's the crisis?" Emma asked, lifting the ribbon and ducking under it.

David turned around to see her.

"Emma! Finally! You won't believe what happened!"

He glanced at Hook, but didn't say anything.

"We found a baby here, a newborn girl. A fisher saw her when he went to work."

"You found a baby?" Emma asked incredulously. "Like… a human baby?"

"Yes! Thankfully she didn't fall into the water."

He led them over to Gold, who was drawing patterns in the dirt.

"Did you find anything?"

The Dark One didn't look at them. He touched the ground once more, brushing his fingers over the wooden surface.

"Indeed", he finally said, getting up to his feet and leaning on his cane.

"Someone used magic here. Powerful magic, and of a very rare kind. I haven't encountered it in decades."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Regina asked. "What _kind_ of magic?"

Gold glanced at her and turned back to David.

"One that you would not want to stand up against."

David sighed. "Not again", he muttered.

"Have you found the parents?" Emma asked.

"No, not even a clue. I asked Ruby to go to the Sheriff's Station, if anyone calls there, she'll let me know immediately."

"That shouldn't be difficult." Killian looked around. "Judging from my experience, mothers are very protective of their offspring. I imagine as soon as the lady discovers she misplaced her child, we will hear of it."

"Well, I hope so", David replied. "The girl really needs her parents. Whale cleared her, so Mary Margaret took her to the loft for now, but we can't keep her forever. We have to find her family!"

His eyes met Emma's and she swallowed when she saw the desperation in them. He was thinking about her, she suddenly realized. He didn't want the girl to grow up without a family, like she had. Or Henry for that matter.

"Leave that to me", Gold offered. "I already cut off some of her hair. I can use it to track them."

"Well, then what are we waiting for? Let's get going", Emma said.

A second later they were standing in the pawnshop, the red smoke clearing around them. Gold put a finger to his lips.

"I would appreciate it if you kept your voices down. My wife is sleeping in the back room."

"Not sleeping anymore."

The brunette stepped through the curtain that separated the shop from the back room. She looked tired, holding her hands over her pregnant belly.

"Belle!" Gold gently put an arm on her shoulder. "Did we wake you?"

She shook her head. "No, I couldn't sleep. What happened?"

David hurried to explain the situation to her while Gold got a chair for his wife to sit on.

"A baby?" She frowned, instinctively wrapping her arms around her belly when she had sat down. "The baby's alone?"

"Yes, for now, but worry not." Gold started opening drawers and taking out bottled liquids, displaying them all on the counter. "I will find her parents."

He opened two of the phials and mixed them together in a small bowl.

"What is this _kind_ of magic that you were talking about?" Regina asked.

Gold gently shook the potion he was creating before adding another substance.

"Oh, yes, that. Have you ever heard of the le Fay family?"

"Le Fay?" Belle asked surprised.

Killian felt his heart sink to his stomach at the sound of that name. Le Fay? What did they have to do with this? He hadn't heard that name since before he met Milah. Except…His eyes widened almost unnoticeably when he remembered his dream. It couldn't be a coincidence, could it?

Something about his body language must have given away his nervousness, because Emma gently touched his arm.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. "Do you know them?"

"I may have… encountered one or two members a long time ago", he answered, looking away when her eyes met his. He didn't want to talk about the details now, not in front of everyone.

Emma frowned, but no one else seemed to notice.

Gold nodded. "That is not surprising. They were much more powerful in my first days as the Dark One, before you went to Neverland. Now you barely hear anything of them. Maybe they got tired of human company."

"Human?" Emma raised her eyebrows. "Are you saying they aren't human?"

Gold made a vague gesture. "Technically, they are. But they prefer to be called fairies."

"Fairy as in… Mother Superior?" she asked.

"No. She was known as 'Rheul Gorm' in those times. What they refer to as fairies, we would probably call 'elves'."

"Elves?"

Emma had never thought the day would come that they were threatened by freaking _elves_. Then again, Peter Pan was one of the worst villains they'd ever had to face. There was probably nothing she could rely on here.

"Don't let any stories you've heard fool you", Killian said quietly. "They shouldn't be underestimated."

"Indeed, that could be fatal", Gold agreed in a low voice.

"But aren't the evil witches from the Arthurian Legend part of the le Fay family?" Belle asked, leaning forward to see the spell her husband was creating.

"Yes, indeed. Camelot, more precisely Avalon, is where they originally come from. It is also their source of power."

He added the hair to the finished substance and it made a hissing sound, turning blue. He reached under the counter and pulled out a crystal ball.

"This should show us the child's parents", he explained. "Maybe then we will know more."

"Both parents?" David asked.

"Yes. First the one that is physically closer, and then, as it extends its reach, the other one."

"How convenient." The prince seemed impressed.

They all moved closer to get a better look when Gold poured the potion over the object. The ball filled with red mist, but it quickly cleared and gave way for a face.

"Bloody hell", Killian whispered as his own reflection stared at him.

"Well, that is certainly interesting." Gold gave him a cold smile. "Tell us, Captain, did you recently share the bed of another than your blonde sheriff?"

"No!" Killian exclaimed. "Of course not! There must be a mistake! Maybe your bloody potion is wrong!"

"Killian…", Emma said, but she didn't continue. He looked at her pleadingly, hoping she believed him.

"I didn't", he said, trying to sound calm. "Emma, I swear it!"

"We weren't even together nine months ago", she started quietly, but he cut her off.

"It doesn't matter. Nine months ago we were in the Enchanted Forest…"

"…where you took off to return to your pirate life", David reminded him. "I'm not sure if I'm right, I'm certainly not an expert on pirates, but doesn't that include drinking, gambling and visiting brothels?"

Killian clenched his jaw.

"I might have done the former two, but I was completely celibate in that year. I can't have created a child nine months ago!"

"Just show us the mother", Regina said to Gold. To Killian, she added: "Maybe that will jog your memory. Or at least somehow explain this situation."

Gold waved his hand over the crystal ball and Killian's face disappeared in red mist again. They watched the whirling masses with anticipation, and he didn't know if he imagined it, but it seemed to search a lot longer this time. All the while, the thoughts in his head were going crazy. What was the meaning of this? He had always been careful not to father children that he'd abandon before they were even born. And what he'd told David was true, he hadn't been with a woman in the year that they'd spent back in the Enchanted Forest. So how was this possible?

When the mist finally cleared away to show a face, both Killian and Gold jerked away. The Dark One wasn't smiling and mocking him this time. Instead, his eyes were wide as he looked at the brunette.

"That's not possible!" he hissed.

"Who is that?" Emma asked, warily looking at the two men.

"Milah", Killian whispered.

"Milah?" Emma asked. "Isn't she dead?"

Killian nodded and swallowed. "She died two hundred years ago, thanks to him."

He stared at Gold.

"What explanation do you have for this, crocodile?"

The other man shook his head. "I am afraid I know as little as you do. Milah is most certainly dead, and has been for centuries. Yet the child is here."

"Is the spell wrong?" David asked.

Regina rolled her eyes. "Of course not! If the crystal ball showed the pirate and… Milah, they are definitely the parents of the child. Now we have to find out how."

Killian still stared at Milah's image. He felt like the red mist filled his head now rather than the crystal ball. This wasn't possible. As Gold had said, Milah was long dead. He had seen him crush her heart, and he had given her body to the sea. How could the newborn be her child?

"Well, it doesn't matter", Emma said quietly. "We should get back to the loft. I'm guessing you want to meet your kid."

"Emma…"

She turned around and left the shop. Not knowing what else to do, or to say, he followed her.

...

They drove silently in Emma's yellow bug, David on the passenger seat and Killian on the backseat. He looked at her from behind, trying to figure out what she was feeling. Surely it was as confusing for her as it was for him. But none of this was his fault, and he hoped she realized that.

He tried to think of the child, _his child_ , but he still couldn't believe it. How was this possible? How was it _real_? It all seemed like a dream.

Maybe he had never woken up. Maybe this was the continuation of his earlier dream, of Avalon.

When they arrived at the loft, he deliberately slowed down and let the others enter before him. He was still struggling to believe that he would be meeting his child. _Milah's_ child, as odd as it was.

When he finally stepped through the door, he immediately spotted Princess Snow. She was sitting on the bed and holding an infant child. David was sitting next to her, and by the look on her face he realized her husband had already told her.

Emma was nowhere to be seen.

Killian stepped closer, eyes fixed on the dark-haired baby.

"Is that… her?" he asked hoarsely, although it was clear that it was. This wasn't Emma's baby brother, Neal, who was already significantly bigger.

Snow nodded and budged up so he could sit next to her. The child was sleeping, thumb in her mouth.

"She… she's beautiful."

He swallowed. What was happening to him?

"Would you like to hold her?" the Snow asked.

"I don't know… I don't want to hurt her. She seems so fragile."

"You won't hurt her. Here, it's not that hard."

Killian quickly detached his hook and Snow placed the baby in his arms.

"Support her head with your hand. You've gotta be careful with the soft spot", she explained. "Just like that."

Killian looked down at his daughter sleeping in his arms, captivated by the sight of her. Suddenly, he felt a wave of love wash through his body, stronger than anything he'd felt before. He smiled. She slightly suckled on her thumb, but didn't wake up.

"You'll have to name her, you know", Snow said next to him.

He frowned. Why hadn't he thought of this? His first thought was to name her Milah, after her mother, but he hesitated. It would feel weird to call his daughter by the name of his former lover. _His daughter…_ The little angel that was peacefully sleeping in his arms was his daughter, his blood.

 _His blood_. He suddenly remembered his dream and flinched. The child's eyelids fluttered and she let out a short wail of complaint.

"Oh", he said, helplessly looking at her. "Was that me? What do I do?"

"Here, let me show you."

He handed her back to Snow and watched her gently rock his daughter in her arms, calming her down.

 _What's threatening us is now stretching their arms towards you and your blood._

It was just a dream. And yet, what were the chances that he would dream of Avalon and _her_ the day he found his daughter? Not to mention the possible involvement of the le Fay family…

He needed to talk to someone. He needed to talk to Emma. She would tell him that he was freaking out about nothing and that a dream was just a dream, after all.

"Is Emma upstairs?" he asked.

Her mother nodded, and with one last look at the infant, who had calmed down by now, he rose to his feet.

He found Emma sitting on her bed, deep in her thoughts. When he reached the top stair, he knocked on the handrail with his hook. She looked up and smiled amused, but then quickly hid it.

"Hey."

"Hey", he repeated, waiting for her to say something, because he really didn't know how to start.

He came closer, lowering himself on the bed and tilting his head to look at her. Why did it have to feel so awkward?

"Shouldn't you be with your kid?" she finally asked.

"I was, but I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?"

Now that he was sitting next to her, he couldn't bring himself to bring up the details of his dream. What if she told him he was right to worry? Maybe he should just forget about it.

He made a vague gesture.

"About… all this. It's… quite a lot to take in, isn't it?"

"Tell me about it."

He sighed, putting an arm around her and pulling her close. She laid her head on his shoulder and Killian gently pressed a kiss to her hair.

"We'll figure it out."

* * *

 ***according to Google, annwyl is Welsh for 'darling'.**


	3. Morgause

**Disclaimer: Nope, not my characters.**

* * *

Emma groaned when the wailing child woke her. Why did babies always have to be so loud?

Killian stirred next to her, sitting up in bed. He never complained about his little princess, Emma thought bitterly. She pushed that thought away. She knew it was stupid to be angry at him, or Calie. He was a good father, and she should be happy for him. Then why did she always feel like the child had come between them?

Killian came back, carrying his daughter and a freshly warmed bottle of milk. The girl had grown a lot in the past four months. If she had wanted to believe that there had been a mistake and that she wasn't his in the beginning, by now there could be no doubt whatsoever.

Her hair was undeniably black, and while you could argue that her baby blue eyes might change color when she grew older, Emma highly doubted that. Sometimes she even felt like the four-months-old had the same facial expression as her father.

"I took her sailing last week", Killian told her, for what seemed like the hundredth time. By now he had almost perfected the art of manhandling a child one-handedly. "She loved it; I could see it in her eyes. It's in her blood, after all."

Emma forced herself to smile. "I bet she would make a great pirate one day."

Killian seemed shocked and covered the baby's ears.

"Don't put ideas in her head, Swan!" he whispered with playfully sparkling eyes. To Calie, he said:

"You're gonna be a ship captain one day, aren't you, my little love? But remember to always stay on the right side of the law, or you'll get in big trouble. Daddy knows!"

Emma felt the need to throw up, and then she felt guilty again. Her pirate was clearly happy with his daughter. _Milah's daughter_ , a voice in her head said, and as much as she wanted to push it away, she couldn't. He had even named her after her mother, Calypso Milah.

"I think I'm gonna go shower while you're busy", she said instead. It was already eight o'clock in the morning, after all. Time to get up. Part of her wanted him to tell her that he would join her when he was done feeding the child, like in old times. But, of course, he was completely captured by his daughter and only nodded, not even looking at her as she left for the bathroom. And again, she swallowed her bitterness, trying to wash it off in the shower.

Killian pulled the door open and entered the diner. Granny's had just opened, and yet it was already filled with people. He gave Robin a friendly nod and winked at Henry. Regina ignored him in cold affection. He ordered two grilled cheese, and while Ruby went to prepare them, Granny smiled at him and asked about 'the little one'.

Only a few months ago she had shot him a reproachful glare every time he set foot into her establishment. Another good thing Calie had brought to his life. Even Emma's parents saw him in a new light since he was a father. They somehow seemed to like him more, and the prince didn't look like they wanted to tear his throat out every time he saw him at Emma's place in the morning, which happened more and more frequently.

Maybe they should move in together, he wondered. Emma had recently gotten her own place, and Henry adored Calie. The four of them could be a real family.

His heart beat faster at that thought. He'd never thought he could have that. Even to find love again after Milah was something he had never seen coming, but a _child_ … or was it even two? Sometimes it felt that way with Henry. He wondered if the lad thought of him as a father. Neal was dead, after all, and he hadn't known him for long.

"Killian!" Belle called. She greeted him with an awkward sideway hug, baby Rose peacefully sleeping in her arms.

"I did a little more research on the le Fay family", she told him straight away. "Well, it was really just a little before Rose woke for her feeding. I'll get right back to it after breakfast", she promised him.

"Don't", Killian said, smiling at the baby. She was only a few weeks younger than Calie, and he really hoped they would grow up to be friends. "I think we should stop all the researching."

"Don't you want to know where your daughter came from?" Belle asked with a frown, gently rocking her baby.

"All I want to know is that she's healthy and happy. I don't want to spend every day worrying about her. It's been four months and nothing happened. For once I want to believe that there is no crisis waiting for us."

"But what about Milah?" Belle asked confused. "What if we find her?"

"Milah is dead", he said firmly. "I've accepted that long ago. And I'm done following loose threads. I would rather spend my time with Calie and Emma."

"Fine", Belle smiled. "I'll tell Rumple."

In that moment Ruby returned with the food. Killian paid and waved goodbye to his friends. He felt good. Finally letting go of all his worries about Calie's origins had lifted a heavy weight from his chest.

...

"You want to go back?" Emma almost dropped her phone when she realized what her mother was saying. "To the Enchanted Forest?"

She was pacing back and forth in her bedroom, her free arm hugging her body.

"Oh, we haven't decided yet", Mary Margaret told her. "David and I were just thinking about it. I know the last time we said it you weren't happy about it, but I thought you might have changed your mind…"

"Why would I have changed my mind?" Emma's voice sounded harsher than she intended. When she passed the window, she peeked outside to see if Killian was coming back with breakfast. Of course he wasn't. He had just left.

She sighed, finally slowing down her steps.

"Look, I know that place means a lot to you, it's just… our lives here are good! For once we don't have to fight weird villains that were somehow a lot funnier when they were cartoon characters in a Disney movie. You guys have Neal, I just got a house… can't we just leave it like that?"

There was a small pause, and she could hear her parents whispering to each other in the background. She rolled her eyes and glanced at the crib. Calie was thankfully sound asleep. She hoped she would stay that way until Killian returned. She didn't want to have to pick her up. It was easier if she kept her distance. That way she didn't have to admit that Captain Hook and his true love had made a fucking adorable baby. Feeling guilty again, she bit her lip.

The phone cracked. "Emma?" she heard her father say.

"Still here."

"Look, we're not saying we want to go back today, or even this month, it's just… I know our lives here aren't bad, but this isn't who we are. We don't belong here. It just feels wrong to be here when we have a kingdom in the Enchanted Forest that probably needs our help. And you… you are part of that world, too, Emma. You were born a princess…"

"But I never _was_ a princess", Emma interrupted him. "I never got a chance to do any of that, and I can't imagine doing it now. I am just figuring out my life here! And you guys never seemed to mind being sheriff, or teaching."

"We don't, it's just… this is not where we belong. Something is missing, you know? Look, we won't force you to go back. If you really don't want to, we will stay. Family is more important. We just wanted to see what you thought about it. It's just an idea. We don't even have a portal."

Emma sat down on her bed, closing her eyes. This wasn't fair. She could understand that her parents wanted to go back to the place they considered their home, but why did that have to be now? She had just found her own home. Or something like that.

"I'll think about it, ok?"

"Yes. As I said, if you don't want to, we won't go."

Emma nodded, even though her father couldn't see it. "Sounds good."

"Anyway, how is our granddaughter?" David asked, his voice casual, as if their conversation before hadn't happened. Emma couldn't hold back the silent gasp that left her lips. _Granddaughter?_

"She's… fine", she managed to say. "Look, Killian's gonna come back with breakfast any moment now, I should probably set the table…"

She finished her conversation with her parents and got up from the bed, starting to pace again.

"You're _not_ their granddaughter", she said to the sleeping child. "That's not how it's supposed to be!"

She sighed and braced herself on the window sill. Had it really come to this? Was she competing with an infant for Killian's attention?

"What a harsh thing to say to a babe", she suddenly heard an unfamiliar voice behind her. She spun around.

There, at the crib, stood a woman she had never seen before. She was taller than her, and she wore a deep purple dress that was so obviously not from this world that Emma had to bite back a groan.

"Who are you?" she asked through gritted teeth. "How did you get here?" Her long, blonde hair screened her face from Emma, but she was sure she heard her chuckle.

"You are such a beauty, aren't you, _annwyl_?"

Only now Emma realized she was talking to Calie. _She was holding Calie in her arms_.

"Let her go!" she demanded, taking a step towards her. The woman turned her face to her.

"Careful", she smiled, although her dark eyes remained cold. "We wouldn't want to wake the little princess, would we now?"

"Put her back in the crib", Emma said darkly. "I don't care who you are, but I am pretty pissed right now and you don't want to get on my bad side."

"Or what?" The woman snorted. "You'll strike me with that adorable light magic of yours? Please. You are no match for me. Besides, don't you want her gone anyway? I am doing you a favor."

Emma bit her tongue. Her being jealous of Calie was one thing, but she couldn't let this woman hurt her. It wasn't right. None of this was her fault. She was just a child.

She closed her hand to a fist and opened it again, her magic shining brightly.

"Don't test me. Put her down _now_!"

The woman impatiently clicked her tongue.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

Emma barely saw her move her fingers as she was already flying backwards. She hissed in pain when she hit the wall, sliding down to the ground. Before she could get up again, the woman threw something at her. Instinctively she caught it in her hand. It was an apple.

"If you should decide you want her back after all… this will help you find me."

"Wait!" she shouted, but the stranger had already disappeared into thin air.

...

When he returned to Emma's house, Killian immediately knew something was wrong. Emma was sitting on her bed, her eyes red and swollen. She heard him and turned to look at him.

"Killian", she said, tears streaming down her face. Only now he noticed the red apple in her hand.

"What happened?" he asked. His eyes scanned the room. "Where's Calie?"

"She's gone", she whispered, barely audible. "I'm so sorry, Killian, I tried to stop her…"

Killian felt like all the air was pressed from his chest.

"Gone?" he repeated, not grasping the meaning of the word, the bags with the food sliding from his fingers. "What do you mean, gone? Stop who?"

Emma was shaking with sobs. "Suddenly there was a woman. I've never seen her before. She took her and… and disappeared…"

He felt anger rise in his chest. Who dared take his child from him?

Unable to hold back, he snarled: "And you let that happen?"

Emma's eyes widened. "No, I-I tried to stop her, but she had magic!"

"So do you!" Killian snapped. He walked to the crib, looked out the window, under the bed, not really expecting to find her, but needing to do _something_. He knew that he was being unfair to Emma, but he couldn't contain his anger, his desperation.

"She was more powerful than me!" Emma seemed to be getting angry, too. "Do you really blame me for this?"

"Maybe I should!" Killian yelled, finally looking at her. "Do you think I don't see how you look at her? Aren't you glad she's gone?"

"What do you want to hear?" Emma screamed back. "Yes, it sucks that you spend more time with her than with me, that you barely seem to care about me at all, and that she's the child of the woman you loved more than you will ever love me! And of course I sometimes wish we would've never found her! But how can you _ever_ think that I would harm your _child_?"

Only now he saw the blood trickling down the back of her neck.

"Swan…", he started, reaching out to examine the wound, knowing that he had gone too far, but she just wiped away her tears and stormed out, slamming the door shut.

...

"A red apple! That's my signature!" Regina snarled as she eyed the object on the table. "When we find this witch she and I are gonna have a little talk. No one steals my methods!" Looking at Killian, she quickly added: "And your child, of course."

They had all gathered in the loft to discuss their next step. A location spell on one of Calie's pacifiers had proven useless, which meant that she was no longer in this world. _Or dead._ Killian swallowed.

"Don't worry, your majesty, I doubt she tried to _steal_ your methods", Gold said, taking the apple in his hand. "This is not just any apple. Tell us more, Miss Swan. This woman… did she have magic?"

"Yeah. I tried to fight her, but she was stronger than me."

She subconsciously touched the back of her head where she had probably hurt herself when she landed.

"Then she just disappeared. _With_ the baby."

With these words she looked at Killian, and he felt a twinge of guilt about his former accusations. How could he ever suspect her?

He had been going crazy with worry for his child, he still was, but he knew that was only an explanation, not an excuse.

Gold nodded, holding the apple against the light and then taking a healthy bite.

"Are you insane?" Regina shouted, trying to stop him. "It could be poisoned!"

"It's not", Gold replied, spitting it into his hand. "That would be your signature. I thought we had already agreed that this was not a copy."

To everyone else, he said:

"Disgustingly sweet, and perfectly red, combined with an unmistakable aroma. The woman who gave it to you had magic more powerful than you, Miss Swan. That tells me one thing. She came from Avalon. And most likely returned there."

"Why would you assume that?" Regina asked.

"Because she gave Emma a hint with the apple!" Snow said as realization dawned on her.

"Avalon is known for its apples, that's how it got the name", Belle explained.

"She obviously lied!" Regina shot them a how-can-you-be-so-naïve-look. "Who would kidnap a child and tell their parents where to find them?"

"It could be a trap", Emma said.

"Oh, it most definitely is", Gold said matter-of-factly.

"It doesn't matter." Killian stared at the apple, the images from his dream appearing in his mind. "I'm going to get her, and if anyone stands in my way I'll kill them."

"Of course, just like you killed me", Gold snarled. "When did you promise to do that? Two hundred years ago? And yet I am still here."

Killian clenched his jaw, but before he could reply, David interrupted them:

"Let's focus on the problem on our hands rather than on past vendettas. What can you tell us about Avalon?"

"It is ruled by the Lady of the Lake", Gold explained. "When I last visited Camelot, that was Nimue, a member of the 'le Fay' family."

"The elves?" Emma asked, remembering their conversation four months ago.

Gold nodded.

"However I can't tell you what Nimue would want with your child."

Killian paused for a moment, a horrible thought crossing his mind.

"The woman who took Calie, what did she look like?" he asked, turning to Emma. _Please don't let it be her._

Emma frowned. "Uh. Long, blond hair, freaky dress…"

His heart sank to his stomach.

"Dark eyes?"

"I don't know. Maybe? Yeah, I think so. Do you know her?"

Killian nodded darkly and turned back to Gold.

"Her name is Morgause", he said. "Morgause le Fay."

"Morgause le Fay? How can you be so sure?" Gold asked.

"I saw Avalon in a dream. A woman warned me about her."

He really didn't want to go into detail about this. So she had found him, after all. How was she not dead, after all these years?

"You saw Avalon in a _dream_?" Belle asked, rocking baby Rose in her arms.

Gold looked up, interested.

"Who was this woman that warned you?"

"I didn't recognize her, but she seemed to know me."

"Only the Lady of the Lake could have sent you a dream from Avalon. Morgause is Nimue's eldest daughter, and if it wasn't her, that means Nimue still reigns."

Regina raised an eyebrow.

"So you know Morgause, Nimue came to you in a dream… what is your business with them?"

"It doesn't matter."

"If we're going to fight this elf bitch to save _your daughter,_ we need to know!" she snarled.

Killian sighed.

"Let's just say that I don't recall meeting Nimue before, and that Morgause and I are not exactly fond of one another. How do I get to Avalon?"

"Oh, you can't get to Avalon just like that!" Gold said like it was general knowledge. "You have to go to Camelot first."

Killian clenched his fist, annoyed by the Dark One's vague answers. "And how do I bloody get to Camelot?" he asked, raising his voice. "It's not like we have any magic beans left!"

"We'll find a way", David assured him.

"We, mate? You're coming with me?"

"Of course I am! You should know us long enough to know we always have each other's backs!"

Killian couldn't help but feel touched by David's comment. He hadn't realized he was part of the 'we' now.

"We'll all help you", Henry promised.

"Kid, I think you should stay here. This Morgause is dangerous."

Emma gave him an apologetic smile.

"Stop calling me kid! I'm thirteen, and Calie is basically my sister! And my aunt! I'm going."

"Henry, you're staying."

Regina gave him her don't-argue-with-me look. Henry kept quiet, but the expression on his face made it clear that for him, the discussion was not over.

"Well I'm definitely going", Robin said, looking at Killian.

"I _will_ help you find your daughter."

The corner of his mouth quirked upwards. "Thanks, mate."

"How touching", Gold snarled. "Maybe we could focus on finding a portal now, or no one will help anyone find their child."

"Great, any suggestions?" Emma asked.

"Not so fast. I need to prepare first. And if you don't mind, Miss Swan, I would like to see the room where it happened."

Emma shrugged. "Sure. If you think you can find something."

"Wait, can I see the apple?" Killian asked before they could leave. Maybe there was something in his dream that he had forgotten?

Gold handed it to him and Killian grasped it. It was burning hot. He hissed in pain and dropped it immediately. It fell to the floor. The fruit glowing and radiating a heat that soon filled the loft.

"What the hell…" Emma started, her voice trailing off as she looked at what was happening right in front of her.

The light spread, turning into a whirling mass of colors. It was windy, and noisy.

"Is that…" Snow started, looking at David.

"Looks like a portal", he agreed.

It grew bigger, sucking in the table and one of the chairs.

"Everybody step back!" Regina shouted over the rising noise.

"Neal!" Snow screamed, rushing past Killian and reaching for her son, who had started crying.

The portal reached them, and all she could do was hold on to the crib while it sucked them in.

"Neal! Snow!" David shouted, jumping in right after them.

Emma watched her parents disappear, her eyes wide.

"Well, I guess that settles that", she said, but before she could follow them, Regina grabbed her arm.

"Are you out of your mind? We don't even know where it leads!"

"Avalon", Killian said, realization dawning on him. "The apple. It was a portal. It leads to Calie."

Without taking another look at them, he stepped forward.


	4. Camelot

**A/N: I realized that FF deleted all breaks I had in between scenes, I have now re-edited them into all chapters so that it isn't just one big chunk of words. I hope it's easier to read this way. Thank you for everyone who has left a review, I know I haven't commented on them so far, but I read them all and they are very much appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: Not my characters.**

* * *

Killian tried to lift his head and made a face. Why did portal jumping always have to be so unpleasant? He was slightly fatigued, and his head hurt and spun.

Where was he, anyway?

He blinked, trying to shield his eyes against the light with his hand. When he could finally make out some features, he looked around, ignoring his throbbing temples.

The bodies next to him started stirring, too. He saw a few broken pieces of furniture from the loft.

His heart jumped to his throat when he spotted Emma lying under what was left of the table. In an instant he was by her side, lifting the weight from her.

"Swan!" He shook her body. "Emma!"

She groaned, slowly rolling onto her back.

"Emma, are you alright, love?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

She got to her feet, pushing his hand away. "Where are we? Is this Avalon?"

He shook his head. "No."

He looked around, taking in the surroundings. He'd never thought he'd come back here.

"This appears to be Camelot", Gold said behind them, getting to his feet and leaning on his cane. Belle stood next to him, clutching her daughter to her chest.

"Did you jump in, too?" Killian asked confused.

"No, of course not!" she said. "I tried to escape it, but the portal sucked us in."

"So here we are, in a strange land with two infants, no way back and no idea what to do next", Snow summarized. She held Neal in her arms, and the remains of the crib lay splattered around her feet.

"Maybe we could ask King Arthur?" Henry suggested. "He's the hero in Camelot, isn't he? Maybe he and his knights can help us!"

"Arthur is long dead", Killian said sharply.

"I'm afraid he is very much alive", Gold said. "For those of you who don't know, Camelot was frozen for a long time."

"Frozen?" Regina asked. "Like Storybrooke in the first curse?"

"Much worse. Every person froze in their action. Every falling leaf hung in the air for centuries. Time literally stood still. I don't know when that curse was broken, but it can't have been too long ago."

"I don't know anything about a curse in Camelot", Killian snapped. "But even if he's still alive, we don't need Arthur's help."

"I don't know." David looked around. "If we introduce ourselves as Queen Snow White and King James, we might get warm chambers in the castle, at least for one night. That might be exactly what we need to collect our thoughts and figure out what to do next. Unless one of you has had any dispute with the king?"

He looked at Regina and Gold.

"Believe it or not, but I have never been to Camelot", Regina said coldly. "I was busy hunting down you two. Besides, didn't Gold just say it was frozen for centuries?"

"And I have never met the king personally. He won't recognize me as The Dark One", Gold assured them.

"Fine. Then let's go and find the castle."

"No!" Killian shouted. The last thing he needed right now was a run-in with the king. He could do well without it.

Everybody turned to him.

"What's wrong, Killian?" Emma asked. "Do you have history with King Arthur?"

Killian looked down, clenching his jaw.

"I lived here, a long time ago", he confessed. "And Arthur and I did not get along."

"Why doesn't that surprise me…" David muttered.

"That was long before my pirating days!" He glared at the prince. "It doesn't matter. I'm not going to the castle. We need to focus on finding Calie."

"It's cold", Robin reasoned. "We have two babies with us. We need to find shelter first."

"You live in the woods", Henry reminded him. "Can't we build a camp like yours?"

"Get away from the road!" Snow suddenly shouted, urging them all closer to the trees. Now Killian also noticed the rhythmic thud of hooves on the earth. Not long after they could make out the silhouette of a carriage in the distance.

"That must be Arthur's men!" David said.

"We should get away", Killian pleaded, but David grabbed him by his arm to stop him from running.

"Look, I don't know what your problem with the king is, but right now, he is the only hope we have of finding shelter. If you met a long time ago as you said, he probably won't even recognize you."

Killian yanked his arm free, but it was too late to run now. The carriage stopped right in front of them.

The door opened and a knight emerged, followed by a few guards. Emma noticed Killian tense up next to her as he stared at the knight, as if he knew him. She frowned, but now was not the time to ask.

"What do we have here?" the knight smirked, looking at the mess around him. "Looks like someone decided to create a portal."

He turned to the guards. "Arrest them."

"Wait!" David stepped forward. "We mean no harm. We would like to talk to King Arthur. I am Prince James…"

"I don't care who you think you are", the knight suddenly snarled, grabbing his arm tightly. He wasn't smiling anymore, and his eyes were full of hatred as he looked at David. "Here you are nothing more than magic scum." He scanned the crowd before him. "And before you try any of your dirty tricks, it won't work. We know how to deal with your kind."

The guards circled them, the points of their swords directed at them. Two of them stepped forward and bound David's hands with a piece of rope, turning to Regina when they were done.

"Get in", the knight commanded, opening the door to a second carriage that had a strong lock on it.

They had no choice but to do as he said.

It was big enough to fit all of them, although it did get cramped. There were no seats or anything else that they could sit on, not even straw, so they had to get comfortable on the wood.

The carriage had only one barred window on top, if it could even be called that. Its only purpose seemed to be the supply of oxygen. They could barely see anything.

Before they had finished arranging themselves in more or less comfortable positions, they heard a man shout, and the carriage started moving, shaking them all up.

"They're blocking our magic!" Regina said after a while. "I'm trying to get us out, but it doesn't work!"

"Have you not had enough?" Killian hissed. "Don't you see where magic got us?"

"If we all just disappeared, they'd hardly be able to do anything about it", Regina snapped back.

Rumplestiltskin stirred in his corner. "Every royal carriage has a crystal embedded into the wood", he explained. "It blocks magic."

"So they're using magic to make sure we can't use magic?" Snow asked. "That doesn't make any sense!"

"Arthur has always been one for double morals", Killian laughed joylessly.

No one knew what to say to that. Wasn't Arthur supposed to be the good guy?

Emma leaned her head on the wall, trying to get some sleep as the journey continued, seemingly without an end. It didn't work, since every bump in the road caused her head to painfully hit the wood.

"I wonder what's going on in Storybrooke", Robin said, breaking the silence. "They must've noticed by now that we're gone."

"Yeah, I guess the loft's a mess", David said.

"Roland must be upset."

"The Merry Men and Marian will take care of him", Regina assured him. "And they'll tell him that his father will come back, as he always does."

"I hope he's alright. I mean I would've come anyway, but if we'd planned this, I could've explained this to him, I could've said goodbye! Now he doesn't know why I'm gone. The most important thing for a child is that you're honest with them, I can't just disappear for God knows how long without telling him!"

"Maybe we'll find a way to contact him", Snow suggested. "Through magic or… we will find a way."

"Why does the king hate magic so much, anyway?" Henry asked. "I thought it was normal here?"

Belle sighed.

"In the stories that I've heard, there were some issues with Arthur's birth… His mother couldn't get pregnant for years and asked a powerful wizard for help. But there was a price. She fell very ill and died a few years later, and after that Uther banned magic. Arthur continued that tradition."

"Wow, that sounds a _lot_ like you, Rumple", Regina laughed.

"Believe it or not, that was before I was the Dark One. And there's more to that story. Apparently Arthur was born cursed, but not even I know the details."

"So now he hates magic. Great", Emma summarized.

"What happens to those who use it?" Snow asked.

Belle bit her lip. "They are burned alive", she whispered.

"They burn them?" Henry asked, shocked.

"If they burn people for using magic, what are they going to do to us? Don't they think that we created a portal?" David asked, his voice clearly worried.

No one answered.

...

After a few hours that felt like eternity the carriage finally stopped. The door was opened, and Killian squeezed his eyes shut at the sudden intrusion of bright daylight.

"Get out. No harsh movements!" a guard shouted. Emma was sitting next to the door, and he grabbed her by her arm and hauled her out of the carriage.

Killian slowly sat up, following her. His heart sank to his stomach as he recognized the castle in front of him. The gold and crimson banners everywhere left no doubt as to where they were. He had only seen it once, only at his mother's trial, but he had never forgotten.

People had always told him how magnificent and breathtaking the castle was, but to him, it had been like a giant stone monster, waiting to swallow him and to never let him go.

They were urged up the stairs, huddled together and circled by guards. He looked down at his bound wrists. They were now bloody and sore from trying to get his brace out after detaching his prosthetic hand. It wasn't possible, the ropes were bound too tightly. If only he could get free…

They finally came to a halt in a small room, facing a big, winged door. He knew that it led to the throne room. This was the same anteroom he and his sister had been kept in back then, before they had brought them in…

Whenever someone moved the guards shouted at them to keep still. They were waiting for the king, he knew it. Arthur must be on his way. He felt his heartbeat in his throat, and wondered how he should position himself to not arouse his attention. _Look at the ground. Don't look him in the eyes._

He wondered if Arthur would recognize him. He had been a child back then. He had changed a lot, he knew it. His face had hardened after centuries of being a pirate captain and fighting for his life every day, after spending so much time filling his heart with hatred. All the childlike softness and innocence he might have once possessed was gone. His scar was the only thing that could betray him. But after all these years it had become thin, barely visible. And Arthur wouldn't expect to see him, would he?

Loud steps announced the king. He entered the hall, pausing when he saw the rather large group of prisoners. Killian could only see him from the corner of his eye. He wanted to squeeze his eyes shut, and at the same time he had to contain himself to not look up. His heart was now beating so fast he thought it might burst.

"What is the meaning of this, Kay?" Arthur asked sharply.

Killian felt a sudden wave of anger at the sound of his voice, and he had to press his teeth together to keep from shouting out. This was the man who had destroyed his family.

The knight who had arrested them bowed slightly.

"My king, you ordered all suspicious individuals brought to you for questioning."

"For questioning, yes! You could have asked them to come with you, to give them a chance to show their good will! Instead, you treat them like criminals guilty of murder or worse!"

"They came through a portal", Kay insisted. "No person with a clear conscience would make use of the devil's work! And besides, their clothes surely look unholy. Have you ever seen such fabrics?"

"If you allow me", Gold said, stepping forward. He indicated a bow. "Your majesty. We come from a kingdom called Misthaven. May I introduce you to the King and Queen of our land, James and the lovely Snow White. I believe there was a misunderstanding."

"The King and Queen of Misthaven, what an honor." Arthur slightly bowed his head. "You must excuse me if I have never heard your names. Camelot has been under a terrible curse until this very day, believe it or not. It is the reason for all this chaos. King James, are all these people with you?"

David nodded. "I'd trust every single one of them with my life. They are my closest friends and family."

Arthur looked at them one by one, but his gaze merely flickered over Killian. He turned to David.

"Well, I am delighted to have you in my castle. Surely we can talk later, after you have recovered from the shock of being deported like common criminals."

He shot Kay another angry look, then he turned to one of the knights behind him, a rather short, fair-haired man with gentle eyes.

"Tristan will escort you to your rooms where you can stay as long as you like."

"Thank you for your kindness, your majesty. We won't bother you for long", David assured him, falling back into the role of the royal easily.

Killian made the mistake to look up as Tristan approached, and found himself staring right into Arthur's blue eyes. _I have his eyes_ , he suddenly realized, all his built up anger hitting him without a warning. This was the man who had killed his family. These eyes had looked at him during the execution, showing no compassion, no remorse…

He couldn't look away, waiting for the king to recognize him. Arthur's face betrayed no such thing as he gestured goodbye and left. He knew he should be relieved, but he wasn't. He was angry, and… disappointed? _I am your bloody son_.

Tristan asked them to follow him, leading them up a golden staircase. The others all looked around, admiring the castle, but Killian's gaze was grimly fixed on the stairs ahead.

"You must excuse the mess", Tristan said. "The kingdom was recently under a curse that froze us all as we were, but apparently strangers could come and move freely. I am surprised so few of our prized paintings were stolen."

"Who made them?" Snow asked, pointing at the portraits and landscapes on the wall.

"Different people", the knight answered. "They are gifts from people all over the realm."

"They are beautiful."

"Indeed. Look at this one." Tristan pointed somewhere to his right and Killian turned his head, only to see Arthur pulling a sword from a stone. "It is one of many painted by Lady Elaine as a symbol of gratitude towards the king for taking her in after she lost her home."

"Impressive. Excalibur, right?" David asked.

"Yes!" Tristan turned in surprise. "How did you know?"

"Well, King Arthur is kind of… a legend where I come from."

"Really?" Tristan's face lit up. "Not to say he is not loved by his people. I just didn't realize how well-known he was."

When they reached their rooms, Tristan opened the door to the first one.

"Thankfully, we always have a few bedrooms for high guests prepared", he said with a smile. "They are certainly not fit for a royal family, and I am sure we will soon find something better, but for now, I hope this is enough to rest."

"It's more than enough" Emma gasped. "It's huge!"

Regina shot her a warning look and she corrected herself.

"I mean, we have big rooms in… Misthaven, too, but it feels a lot bigger after sitting in that carriage."

"I am so sorry for the inconvenience you have experienced", Tristan said with a serious expression. "This would have never happened if we hadn't had that terrible curse."

"I understand", David said. "We, too, are familiar with curses. I'm sure Camelot will soon recover and rise to its old legendary strength."

"I hope so, too. Well, I won't bother you anymore. I'll have the other rooms unlocked as well. You can use them as you please. The entire floor is yours for the time of your stay, save for the last room on the left. I'll tell the servants to bring you some food in an hour."

"Thank you, Sir Tristan", Snow said.

Tristan bowed slightly and closed the door as he left.

"He is such a nice guy", Snow said as soon as he was gone. "Do you think he is _the_ Tristan? From Tristan and Iseult?"

"I guess so", David sighed. "There's only one Tristan in Arthur's court I can remember."

"Wait, isn't that the love story where they both die in the end? Or was that Romeo and Juliet?" Henry asked.

"Both end that way. I really hope for him that his story turns out differently than the one I read", Belle sighed.

"Maybe we should worry more about our own story", Gold reminded them.

"You're right", Snow agreed. "Let's get to it!"

...

Emma quietly cursed as she straightened out the nightgown she had found in the closet. It was too much fabric, too many ruches (or rather, it had ruches), was too long…

She would've much preferred her pajamas, but they were safely tucked away under her pillow back in Storybrooke. This would have to do, for now.

She peeked from behind the folding screen to see if Killian had already changed. Not that they were usually shy about their bodies, but their recent fight had created some distance between them.

He was sitting on the bed, facing away from her, clad in a simple linen shirt and a dark pair of pants. It took her a while to understand that he was looking at one of the paintings on the wall, but she couldn't see what it showed.

Emma yawned, heading for her habitual left side of the bed and crawling under the covers. The rustling sound startled Killian, and he turned around to look at her.

After a moment of hesitation, he lay down as well, taking the other side. There was only one big cover, and they tried to get comfortable without invading each other's personal space.

They lay that way for a while, backs turned to each other, and didn't speak. She knew he was awake. With everything that had happened today, there was no way that he could just shut it out and give himself to sleep. His mind must be working like crazy. Hers certainly was.

This morning she had woken up to a crying baby. Since then, she had seen a witch kidnap Calie, fought said witch and lost, fought with Killian, jumped through a portal, been taken prisoner and transported in a carriage, and met THE King Arthur, of course after finding out that he probably wasn't the hero the stories made him up to be. It was simply insane. And Killian must be off even worse, apparently having bad history with both Arthur and Morgause. Not to mention, this was his daughter who'd been kidnapped.

Emma bit her lip when she remembered how Greg and Tamara had taken Henry. All those hopeless nights she had spent in Neverland, doubting if she would ever see him again. This must be how he felt right now, with Calie in the arms of his old nemesis.

She turned around, now looking at Killian's back. It was dark, but her eyes had already gotten used to it. He lay completely still, but every now and then he let out a deep breath.

"We'll find her," she whispered.

A moment or two passed before he turned around. His face was deep with worry, and for the first time since she'd known him, she could see his real age in his eyes. All the pain and exhaustion that came with the experience of several lifetimes.

"Do you really think so?" he whispered back.

"Yes! We always do, remember? We beat Cora, we beat Pan, we beat Zelena. This Morgause doesn't stand a chance."

"You have no idea how powerful she is," he replied, and she could hear the hopelessness in his voice.

"Maybe. But isn't that the case with every new villain we meet? They step up their game, so do we. You'll get your daughter back, I _promise_ you."

He nodded, his hand gently coming up to touch the back of her head. She winced a little as his fingers brushed the bump her fight with Morgause had left there. Being magically slammed into a wall was another experience she could gladly have lived without.

"Are you alright?" he asked, pulling back his hand.

"Yeah, it's nothing, just a bruise. Should've thought of healing myself before we came here. But who could've known that magic was blocked in this castle."

Killian watched her silently, and she could tell that he wanted to say something.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Do you…" he started, his voice breaking off. "Do you even want to find her?"

Emma inhaled deeply, remembering what she told him.

"Look, I mean, earlier today… I should've never said that."

"That doesn't mean it's not true."

She sighed. She knew she shouldn't be jealous. Killian had a daughter with another woman, just like she had a son with another man. He had always treated Henry as his own, why couldn't she do the same with Calie?

The difference was that Henry had always been there, from the very beginning. Their life together had always included him.

Calie had come later. She felt like an intruder, messing up their life. She was Milah's daughter, the woman Killian had loved more than anything. She hadn't left him like Neal had left Emma, and a not so small part of her wondered if Killian wished Milah was there in her place. She couldn't help it.

The rational part of her brain knew it was ridiculous, and yet she couldn't fully push that thought away. She was used to it, people being nice to her and then forgetting her over the next pleasant distraction, foster families giving her up because they had their own, biological child, or because the couple split after one of the spouses found a new partner and she just didn't fit into their lives anymore.

She knew that Killian wasn't these people, and yet the sight of his daughter ignited an old, deep fear within her.

"It's kinda true," she admitted carefully. "It just feels like she's all you care about now. I'm not even there. But that _doesn't_ mean I want her to get hurt."

He nodded, not looking her in the eyes. "Thank you for being honest."

"Killian…" she started.

He turned to lie on his back.

"We have a rough day behind us, we should try to sleep. Good night."


	5. Kara

**Disclaimer: Not my characters.**

* * *

The table was bursting with food. Ornate silver plates filled with pies of all sizes covered most of the table's surface. Boiled eggs were placed between them, the shell gilt so that before she saw Arthur crack open one open and eat it, Emma thought they were for decoration. The golden bowls closer to the edge of the table were spilling with fruit, plums mostly, and provided some culinary variety. The fancy goblets filled with wine each one of them had before them looked like they belonged in a museum. They were frequently refilled whenever someone emptied theirs.

Nothing, however, compared to the main dish. On a giant golden plate, a roasted stag was served, perfectly brown and crispy. They'd been told that the hunters had killed it just for them, and apparently that was an honor. At least it wasn't chimera again.

Emma carefully raised her goblet to her lips, taking the tiniest sip. It looked like she had a long night ahead of her, and she didn't want to get drunk. But she had to do something, and at least there wasn't much she could do wrong with drinking.

Eating was a whole different story. How was an alleged princess supposed to eat? She had tried copying her parents and Regina, but their movements were so delicate, and yet seemed so natural, that she doubted she would ever be able to eat like that.

How was she supposed to hold her fork? Snow seemed to only touch it with her fingertips, but when Emma had tried that, it had slipped from her hand and loudly scattered on the table. After that, she had barely eaten anything. She feared she would give them away if she did.

So she had focused her attention on observing the room. They were dining in a big hall with a long, dark wooden table and fancy chairs. Arthur had invited her parents, Regina, Robin, Killian and her. The royals, or so he thought. They had told him that she was David's sister, and Killian her husband, so they wouldn't have to explain why she was the same age as her parents.

Arthur and Lady Elaine were the only ones from his court to sit at the table, but almost all knights were standing in the room, quiet in the shadows, observing them. She wasn't stupid, she knew they were there to protect Arthur, should they turn out to be enemies.

She could feel Kay's eyes piercing her as he slowly moved his gaze over them, still suspicious, even though Arthur had officially welcomed them. Tristan, on the other hand, gave her a friendly nod when their eyes met.

As for the people at the table, Robin seemed to be as uncomfortable as her. He, too, didn't know how to act, and Emma saw Regina subtly nudge him with her elbow when he picked up the fork with the wrong hand. It must be even harder for him, Emma figured, after having lived in the woods for so long.

Killian, on the other hand, was surprisingly adept at eating like a nobleman, despite only having one hand. He must have learned it in the navy, she thought. His gaze, however, was stubbornly fixed on his plate, and he didn't speak unless spoken to. Most of all, he avoided looking at Arthur.

They had introduced him as Charles, hoping that Arthur wouldn't recognize him. All of this secrecy had been Killian's idea. Her parents' initial thought was to tell Arthur everything and hope for his support, but Killian had been adamant about keeping as much to themselves as possible. And yet, he still hadn't told them how they knew each other. And honestly, his secrecy about his past in Camelot was pissing her off. They were trying to save his daughter, and they really needed to know why Morgause had taken her in the first place. And even if he didn't know the answer to that question, they might be able to figure it out if he just talked to them. If he at least talked to _her._

She remembered the night they'd found Calie. He'd had a nightmare, and he'd been at the brink of telling her about it before David's call. Back then, it had been so easy. Now, things were tense between them, and apparently he didn't trust her enough to speak to her. Not anymore.

Facing him, to Arthur's left, sat Lady Elaine, who hadn't spoken much either. Emma wasn't entirely sure who she was or why she was at the table. As far as she knew, her kingdom had been destroyed, and now she lived in Camelot and painted pictures to thank Arthur for taking her in.

She noticed that every now and then, Elaine's gaze flickered over the guests. She thought she had seen it linger on Killian, but she pushed that thought away. She must have imagined it. Besides, there were more important things to worry about right now.

"May I ask how you ended up in a portal to Camelot?" Arthur asked after a while, lifting the wine to his lips. Snow and David quickly exchanged a glance.

"We don't know," Snow said, sticking to the story they had agreed on earlier. "We were all in the throne room of our castle when suddenly, the portal appeared."

"Someone must have created it," Arthur reasoned.

"Surely. But we don't know who would do such a thing," Regina said. They had debated whether they should tell him about Morgause, maybe to get some help fighting her, but in the end, they'd agreed it was best to not even mention her. They didn't want anyone to grow suspicious.

"And you are sure it was none of you?" Arthur asked.

"Absolutely," David assured him. "I can assure you, I have known these people all my life. They wouldn't betray us."

"You never know," Arthur said. "I was betrayed by my own sister. Regardless, I choose to trust you in this matter. I cannot judge your companions better than you. But heed my advice: Be careful. Magic is elusive. And more importantly, it is always evil."

"You seem to have some experience with that," Regina said, smiling amicably.

"Yes, indeed I have."

Arthur hesitated and took another sip from his goblet.

"Have you ever heard of the kingdom of Dumnonia? It is close to Camelot, and it used to be independent until my father and mother's marriage, which joined them. The king was an old man, tired of ruling, and he abdicated. He and his family lived blissfully in their castle, enjoying their lives. My father ordered a protection spell put on them. It was bound to family, so no stranger could enter. I remember visiting them there with him when I was a boy. It was a beautiful place. However, many years later, after my father's death, an evil witch by the name of Morgause found a way to break the spell." He took a moment to look at each one of them, his face serious. "She killed everyone."

"That is horrible!" Snow gasped.

"There is more," Arthur continued. "She didn't simply kill them, she... slaughtered them. Every living soul. Even the children and the old. I saw the bodies. The people did not die painlessly, I can assure you. I have never seen anything so gruesome."

"Let us not speak of these things at dinner, please," Lady Elaine interrupted. It was the first time she had spoken after greeting them when they entered.

"You are right. My apologies."

Arthur took another sip of his wine.

"We have suffered from magic as well," David said hesitantly. "There was an evil in our land, known as the Dark One."

"Do not speak this name here!" Arthur hissed. "Yet another ungodly soul that would see this kingdom destroyed!"

"Well, rest assured, he is no longer harmful."

"You defeated him?" Arthur asked incredulously. "How did you manage to achieve such a thing, if I may ask?"

"We banished the darkness to his vault and destroyed the key", Regina said with a sharp look at David. "No one will ever open it again."

"That is indeed wonderful to hear", Arthur said. "Then we shall all drink to his defeat."

He raised his goblet, and they all joined in.

"I'd like to use this opportunity to invite you to the ball we will have to celebrate the breaking of the curse," Arthur continued. "It will be a small event, I am afraid we cannot invite the royals of other kingdoms. We will need time to restore our foreign relations. But you, I would be honored if you came."

"The honor is ours," Snow replied.

 **...**

" _Morgause!" Nimue called. "I need to speak to you."_

 _The girl looked up. She had been picking apples in the garden, and now she rose to her feet and started walking towards her._

 _No, she wasn't a girl anymore. She hadn't been for some time now. She was a grown woman, as Nimue reminded herself._

 _Unlike most le Fays, she didn't have dark hair and pale eyes. Her hair was blond like Merlin's, just like she had her dark eyes from him._

 _She wasn't beautiful. Her face was hard and edgy like a man's, and her shoulder's broader than a lady's. Nimue had warned her not to swim too much._

" _What is it, mother?" Morgause asked. Her voice was not the voice of an obedient daughter. Her words were polite, but her tone was cold and impatient._

 _Nimue smiled. "Come inside, child. Let us sit together."_

 _She walked into the house, gesturing for Morgause to take seat. Her daughter didn't move._

 _Nimue shrugged, lowering herself onto one of the chairs by the chimney._

" _Uther has asked me a favor", she started._

" _Uther?" Morgause exclaimed. "Again? I don't want to hear it and I won't!"_

 _She headed for the door, but Nimue snapped her fingers and it slammed shut._

" _Yes you will!" she said sharply, giving her a look that Morgause did not dare to talk back to. Quietly, she sat down, crossing her arms in silent rebellion._

" _He wants you to marry King Mark of Misthaven."_

" _What?" Morgause shouted, slamming her hands on the table. "I am your heir! I cannot marry! Please, mother, tell me you said no!"_

" _I said yes."_

 _Morgause jumped to her feet._

" _You can't do that! You can't let Uther keep using you! You do everything for him, whatever he says, whatever he asks of you, you obey him! You gave him my sister! And where is she now? Married off to some poor fisher, invited over to Avalon once a year at winter solstice! And now you want to do the same to me!"_

" _Firstly", Nimue said, her eyes shooting daggers. "Your sister is my concern, not yours. And secondly, I am your mother and you will do as I say. King Mark is an old man, and he has no heir. He is infertile, so you won't have to bear him children. When he dies, you will rule. When you become queen of Misthaven, you will give the kingdom to Uther. He will unite Camelot and Misthaven. Then you will return to Avalon and take my place."_

 _Morgause shook her head, her eyes shining with tears. "I won't do it! You can't make me!"_

" _Yes, I can. You know that. But I'd prefer it if you agreed on your own terms."_

" _Why do you keep punishing me?" Morgause screamed. "What have I ever done? All the others of my age became woman years ago, and I am still a maiden at twenty five, because you control my every step! Where I am, who I talk to, what I do! You don't trust me! And now you want me to marry an old king just to give over my kingdom when I become queen?"_

" _Misthaven is not your kingdom, nor will it ever be," Nimue said. She was still sitting in her chair, her posture appearing calm, but the look in her eyes would have made the most valiant knight run in fear, and her voice cut through the air like a whip. "Your kingdom is Avalon."_

" _My kingdom is an island! Why do we let Uther gain even more power? He is already trying to control us now!"_

" _He is not trying to control us, we are allies."_

" _Only you believe that", Morgause said bitterly. "Because you love him."_

 _Nimue was silent for a moment, avoiding her eyes for the first time._

" _We don't choose who we love."_

" _Then at least choose not to let it blind you!"_

" _I am not blinded!"_

" _Then you must see that he is not a good man, and neither is he a good king! He is weak! We could take over Camelot! Expand our kingdom."_

 _Morgause's eyes shone hungrily. She had stopped yelling, and her voice was now a lot calmer. She described her vision with a desperate passion that scared Nimue._

" _I will do no such thing, and if I ever hear you speak of it again, I will disinherit you", Nimue hissed, rising to her feet. "I have enough of your childish dreams. You want to be treated like a woman? Start behaving like one! Accept your fate! It is far better than what most people get!"_

" _It is still less than you promised me years ago", Morgause whispered, opening the door with a flick of her hand and leaving the room._

 _Nimue sat back down, following her with her eyes. She was not ready to rule Avalon, she had once again proven it. She was almost a decade older than Nimue had been when she had begun her training, but there was no point in training her if she expected the world to fall at her feet._

 _She was powerful, yes, just as they had wanted her to be. But she was also ambitious and selfish. At this point, her power was more of threat than anything._

" _Oh, Merlin", she whispered. "What have we done?"_

...

The royal palace was huge. It had countless stairs and corridors, all different and yet all decorated in the same beautiful, if somewhat showy manner.

Henry loved every part of it. He loved walking around, seeing the fairytale world for the first time. He loved all the medieval-ish things about Camelot. He loved being a prince.

He hadn't forgotten the reason why they came here, just as he hadn't forgotten Killian's dislike for the king and their conversation on witchery. And for that reason, he was never completely trustful of the knights and everyone under Arthur's command. Well, save for Tristan maybe. He seemed to be a genuinely good guy. And yet, he couldn't resist the childish excitement that overcame him every time he found something new that would never be possible back in Storybrooke.

He admired the ornaments on the ceiling as well as the paintings on the wall. There was one particular painting that he liked, one that he revisited every now and then when he could. It showed Arthur pulling Excalibur from the stone. Everything about it was pure perfection, and it captured the heroic moment he had so often imagined.

Henry had always looked up to Arthur when he had read the stories, and everything he had seen of him so far was noble and good. Now, with the witch trials, he was questioning those beliefs. However, a not so small part of him wanted to believe that Arthur had simply met the wrong magicians, and now thought badly of them. Maybe he wasn't such a bad guy. Maybe, if he knew that magic could be used for good…

"Are you lost, my prince?" he suddenly heard someone say. He spun around, only to face the giant figure of Sir Gawain.

He'd seen the knight around. He was Arthur's shadow and often followed him wherever he went. He'd expected him to be at the dinner, as well. The dinner he hadn't been invited to because he was considered 'too young'.

"I'm fine, thank you, Sir", he replied politely.

He turned back to the painting, but Gawain didn't seem to get the hint.

"You appear to take a great interest in our palace", he said.

"It's just interesting to see one. Another one, I mean", he quickly corrected himself. "I know ours like the back of my hand."

"Would you like to see more?" the knight offered.

"More?"

"I could show you around the castle. And the forecourt, if you want."

Henry eyed him suspiciously. "Why would you do that?"

The knight smiled amusedly. "Because I know what it means to be a curious boy. And it is safer if you are with me than if you wander around alone."

Henry quickly considered his offer. He was a knight of the court, right? He knew Gawain from the stories, he was a good guy. He had no reason to distrust him. Should he tell Gold and Belle where he was going? At first he thought that yes, he should, or they'd be worried. But, he reasoned, he wouldn't be gone for long. And no one ever told him about their plans. He was old enough to make decisions on his own.

So he looked at the knight and shrugged.

"Sure, I'd love to see more."

Henry eagerly followed him down the stairs to the main hall.

"What do you mean by 'safer with you'?" he asked on their way out. "Is it not safe here?"

"In a land of sorcery, you can never be safe", Gawain replied. "Do you have sorcery in your land?"

"Yeah, we do", Henry answered. Then he caught himself. "I mean, I've heard of it. But we never encountered it."

"The you are very lucky", Gawain commented. "Do you have siblings?"

"I have a sister", he replied, not wanting to explain that she was only his stepsister and actually his aunt. "And a brother", he added, thinking about Roland.

Gawain nodded in satisfaction. "It is always good to have more than one heir, especially in a royal family."

The forecourt was a beautiful place. He'd caught a glance of it when they'd arrived in the carriage, but now, taking in the sheer size of it, it was simply breathtaking.

It was a busy place, bustling with people and filled with carriages. Some were royal. Others seemed to belong to merchants trying to sell their ware. Guards patrolled the place to make sure everything was done orderly.

Around the forecourt there were trees and bushes, the outlines of the royal gardens. Other than some gardens that he had seen in his school textbooks, these ones weren't perfectly tamed and symmetrical. They were beautiful and cared for, yes, but there was still something wild about them.

They crossed the place when Henry noticed a giant wooden pole in the middle of it.

"What is that?" he asked as Gawain led him closer.

From up close, he could see many markings in the wood, as if they were counting something.

"This", the knight announced proudly, "is the proof of the good work our king and his father have done for this kingdom. Every single marking represents an evil witch, burned at the stake."

Henry suddenly went quiet, all his ideas of Arthur's nobility vanquished from his mind as he took in the sheer amount of innocent people that had died for nothing. The pole was covered in markings, as far as he could look. There must be hundreds of them. These couldn't all be evil. They were probably not even all witches.

"Look at this one." Gawain pointed at a marking somewhere further up. It was significantly longer than the others, and crossed by a smaller one on one end. "The king's own sister. A cunning witch. Happens in the best families. It was a shock for his majesty, of course. He had to eliminate her and her daughter, to make sure they wouldn't harm anyone anymore."

Henry focused on the smaller notch crossing the big one, and felt his stomach turn.

"I need to pee", he suddenly said, not bearing to hear anything else the knight said.

"Excuse me, my prince?"

"I… was wondering if I could use the bushes."

Gawain frowned.

"Surely for a prince it is not fit…"

"It's really urgent", Henry said, disappearing before the knight could stop him.

He made sure Gawain couldn't see him anymore before sitting down, cowering behind the branches. He needed to take a deep breath. The notch on the pole appeared before his inner eye, together with the smaller one crossing it. The king's sister and her daughter. How old had she been? Not old enough to get her own marking, apparently. He was utterly disgusted, and for a moment he thought he might throw up.

Suddenly there was uproar at the market.

"Thief!" someone shouted. "Stop the boy!"

Henry pushed a few branches aside and saw a hooded figure running towards him. A guard caught the thief by his wrist and yanked back his hood.

"It's a girl!" he screamed. He looked at her, and suddenly her hair started to change, becoming darker and longer.

"A WITCH!" he shouted, stepping back and crossing himself. Gawain strode forward, drawing his sword with a disgusted snarl on his face, but the girl pushed the air and he flew backwards.

She started running towards the gardens, coming right at Henry. Not even thinking what he was doing, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her deeper into the forest. At first she fought him.

"I'm helping you!" he assured her.

He could hear the guards behind them catching up. Suddenly he got an idea.

"Run!" he told her, letting go of her wrist.

"Really? I wouldn't have thought of that!" she hissed.

"I'm gonna distract them, find a place to hide!"

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but when she heard Gawain yell instructions nearby, she took off.

Henry nervously licked his lips. He really hoped this would work. He sat down by the tree and quickly tried to rub his clothes in dirt, roughening them up in the process. Shortly after, the guards appeared before him.

"There you are, my prince!"

Gawain extended an arm and pulled him up.

"Are you injured? There is an evil sorceress in these woods, it is a miracle that you are unharmed!"

"Yes, I know, I s-saw her!" Henry did his best to appear scared. "She came by and p-pushed me away. W-without touching me!"

"Sorcery," Gawain said darkly.

"She went that way!" Henry pointed to his right, as far away from the girl as possible.

"Thank you, my prince. You shouldn't be on your own."

"I'll be alright. You...you'll catch her, right?"

"Of course. Better get back to the castle. It is safer there." With one last look at him, the knight ordered the guards to follow him and ran off.

Henry waited a few moments to be sure they couldn't see him anymore, then he turned followed after the girl.

"Hey!" he called quietly. "It's me, they're gone!"

He tried to find clues as to where she might have gone, broken branches or something alike, but he couldn't see anything. In that moment, he really wished Robin or his grandmother were there. They'd find her.

He stopped when he reached the castle wall. If she had left the grounds, he wouldn't find her. That was probably a good thing, after all, it meant she was safe. And yet, somehow he was disappointed.

Suddenly an unripe plum hit him on the head.

"Ouch!" Henry exclaimed, bringing up his hand to rub the spot.

He looked up. There, up in the tree, sat the fugitive, grinning unashamedly.

"Watch where you're going!" she called.

"The guards are gone," Henry told her. "I told them you went the other way."

"My hero", she scoffed. "What are you waiting for? Come up and see!"

"You mean… climb the tree?"

"Unless you can grow wings I'm afraid you'll have to!"

He hesitated, considering the task before him. The tree had some strong looking boughs close to the ground, so it shouldn't be too difficult. He grabbed the first one and pulled himself up. After regaining his balance, he reached for the next one.

"No, not that one, try the one to your right!" the girl called from above.

It took him a few minutes, but finally he pulled himself up next to her.

"So…," he said after finding his balance. "This is what you do, then. Sit on trees and throw plums on people."

"Sometimes," she grinned. "Although I also like to just enjoy the view."

Henry looked around. He could see a good deal of the garden from up here, and even caught a glimpse of the forecourt. He could also look across the wall and see the moat from here.

"Yeah, I can't leave," the girl said. "Obviously. The only way out is over the drawbridge, and they're not gonna let me. I'm stuck."

Henry turned his head, noticing the loaf of bread she was holding in her arms. This was probably what she had stolen.

"Who are you?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I could ask you the same."

"You have magic. What blew your cover?"

"What makes you think I'd trust you?" she snapped, her voice suddenly sharp.

"I saved your life," Henry reasoned. "Plus, you invited me on the tree. You didn't have to do that."

"Maybe pushing you down seemed like the easiest way to kill you," she shot back.

Her fingers dug into the bread and angrily ripped out a small piece, which she stuffed in her mouth. When he didn't answer, she sighed.

"Kara. My name's Kara. Your turn."

"I'm Henry. Prince Henry," he suddenly remembered.

She burst out laughing, a sound that quickly turned into coughing, since she still had bread in her mouth. She pressed the back of her hand to her lips to muffle the sound.

" _Prince_ Henry?" she said when she caught herself. "You don't expect me to believe that, do you? You're no prince. Besides, there is no Prince Henry in Camelot!"

She stuffed the rest of the bread into the inside of her cloak.

"I never said I was from Camelot!" he said, wounded and starting to regret he'd mentioned it at all.

"Alright, Prince Henry from _not-Camelot_ , why did you help me?"

While she was waiting for an answer, she pulled a small piece of rope from her pocket and started to loosely braid her hair over her shoulder.

"They would've killed you," he said.

"Why does that bother you?" she asked "I'm a stranger to you. Why do you care?"

"Because it's not right!" Henry answered through gritted teeth. "I _know_ magic. Where I come from, it's normal. It's not seen as evil. It saved us many times! I know that magic doesn't make you a villain!"

She eyes him suspiciously. "A land where magic is normal? I find that hard to believe."

"It's true, I promise you!" he insisted. "My…" He leaned closer and whispered: "My mom has magic. Both my moms, actually. And my dad's dad. And his dad, but he was evil, so that's not a good example. So was my mom's mom. One of them."

While he was talking, Kara's right eyebrow rose higher and higher.

"You seem to have quite the family tree."

"Yeah. So… you can trust me. I'm not gonna sell you out."

She hesitated, focusing on braiding her hair instead. Finally she used the rope to fix her braid and threw it back over her shoulder.

"I'm still learning. I thought I could change my face for long enough, but apparently I was wrong."

"Who's teaching you?" Henry asked.

"My mother. Well… she was." She looked down at her hands.

"I'm sorry," Henry mumbled. "I lost my Dad, too."

"What? No! She's not dead!" Kara said. "She's just… being held captive."

"By Arthur? Because she's a witch?"

"No, not Arthur." She took a deep breath. "Morgause le Fay."

"Morgause… Morgause le Fay?" Henry gasped.

Kara's head turned sharply. "You know her? How?"

"She took someone from my family, too. My sister. That's why we're here!"

"Sorry", Kara mumbled.

Henry shrugged. "We'll get her back. It's kinda what my family does. We fight villains, and we always find each other."

"You've never stood up to Morgause. She's… she's a demon."

"They said that about Pan as well. My evil great-grandfather. And we beat him", Henry said confidently. "We'll find my sister, and your mom. I promise you."

Kara's fingers peeled at the bark, raining tiny pieces of wood on the ground beneath them.

"Don't make promises you can't keep," she warned him. "Finding them isn't the problem. I know where she's keeping my mother. I just can't get in."

Henry frowned. "Wait… you _know_ where she's keeping her? And Calie?"

"I don't know about your sister, but how many hiding places can she have?"

Henry tried to turn on the branch, and as a result he almost fell off. He grabbed the wood tightly to regain his balance.

"We can work together! I could smuggle you into the castle, and my family could hide you, and then we'd find a way to free your mom and my sister together!"

"You could never smuggle me into the castle", she said. "Especially now that they've seen me. They will be very alert."

He wanted to protest, but he knew she was right. Even if she could change her face again, it would only last her until they entered the castle. Magic was blocked there, and everyone would see her change back.

"What if I bring them to you?" he asked instead. "I'll tell them, and then we can plan something together. Think about it! We're fighting the same enemy, it's the only thing that makes sense!"

"Alright," she said, drawing out the word. "I trust you, Prince Henry from not-Camelot. Don't make me regret it."

"You won't!" he assured her, climbing down and jumping to the ground when he wasn't as high anymore. "I'll come back. And I'll bring you some real food!"


	6. Iseult

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.**

* * *

"Seriously?" Emma asked. " _Golden_ eggs?"

They had returned from the dinner, which had gone on for hours. Now she was restlessly pacing around the room, trying to distract herself from her hunger. She hadn't eaten much, in fear of not looking like a royal.

"It's an act," Snow explained. "We're royals from a different kingdom. They were under a curse for a long time, it might make them look weak. Arthur wants to prove that Camelot is as strong and wealthy as ever."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Someone has a big ego."

"It's all strategy and part of ruling a kingdom."

"Just as the guards we saw on our way there," Regina added. "He might not really have many, but he let them patrol places that we would see, to make us think he has an army protecting this place."

"Wow. He seems paranoid," Emma muttered, coming to a halt and bracing herself on the table. Half-heartedly, she glanced at the maps they had studied early that day.

"You know what I've been thinking?" Regina said. "There's one thing that doesn't add up. Remember that kingdom he talked about? The one Morgause destroyed?"

"Yeah," Emma replied, "Dom… Dom-something, I think."

"Dumnonia," Snow threw in. "I think it was called Dumnonia."

"Maybe. Besides the point." Regina started walking up and down the room, her arms crossed in front of her chest. "He said it was protected by a spell that was based on family." She looked at Emma, clearly expecting her to say something.

"Right… so?"

"Blood magic!" Regina snapped. "Do you ever pay attention during my lessons? It must be blood magic."

"And that means…?" Emma drew the last syllable out, not sure what the mayor was getting at.

"It means it can't be broken. It's impossible."

"Well, there's always a way," Snow reasoned. "Every curse can be broken."

"Blood magic isn't a curse," Regina corrected her. "But it doesn't matter. Yes, every spell has a weak spot. And if you're smart, you create one when coming up with it. That makes it strong, so that nothing else can tear it down. If you don't do it, if you try to make it unbreakable, it's always possible to counteract it with a strong opposite power, like true love's kiss for dark magic."

"So true love's kiss broke the dark curse because you forgot to build in a loophole?" Emma asked.

Regina glared at her. "That was Rumple, not me. And as we all know, he wanted that spell broken." She sighed. "What I'm saying is that blood magic doesn't work on blood relatives, that's why it's called _blood_ magic. That's the weak spot. It can't be broken. Unless Morgause is a part of the family or the person who put up the spell took it down for her, there is no way she could've gotten in there."

"Regina…," Emma started. "Okay, yes, that's weird, but I don't' really see how that's relevant to us right now. I mean, she found a way to bring back the unborn child of a woman who died centuries ago. Let's just accept that she has a few tricks up her sleeve."

"This is very relevant! Because if she didn't kill those people, who did? Why does Arthur think it was her? Was she involved, did she instruct someone to do it? Don't you see? She might have an ally in this castle! Someone who is part of the royal family!"

Emma raised her eyebrows. She looked at her mother. Regina seemed to have a valid point, but she was too exhausted to think about it right now. They already had to worry about one powerful witch, there were already too many questions. What did she want with Calie? How did she know Killian? And what about Calie, how was she here if Milah was dead? She should've known it would come back to bite them in the ass if they ignored it.

"Fine," Regina said, exasperated. "Forget what I said if you're not interested. But I promise you, I will find out how it really happened!"

She left the room, letting the door close with a slam behind her.

Emma rubbed her face with her hands, holding back a yawn, and turned her attention back to the maps. They had marked spots that seemed like good hiding places for a witch with an 'X'. Thankfully, all magic-blocking crystals were marked as 'safe spots' in the maps they had been given. But it was hard to judge the territory without ever having seen it. She couldn't hide in a plain, there had to be something, a cave or a building. Something to provide cover.

"Do you think she's right? About Morgause's ally?" Snow asked.

Emma shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know. She seems to be ten steps ahead of us, technically everyone in this castle could be playing us. Maybe the whole court's working for her."

She walked to the bed and sat on the edge, eyes looking at the opposite wall without actually seeing it.

Snow stepped closer, putting a hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"Emma", she said. "We didn't have much time to talk. How are you feeling?"

"Fine", she replied absently, looking away. She really wanted to be alone right now. She was hungry and tired, not to mention she had an evil witch to think about. And a baby to save.

Unbidden, Calie's face appeared before her inner eye. It was strange, she had always been irritated by her crying. But this morning, when she had woken up to silence, it had felt empty. Like there was something missing.

She wondered where Morgause was keeping her. If she made sure that she was warm and fed. If she rocked her to sleep.

She was so lost in thought that she almost forgot her mother was there.

"Look, Emma, I know you're hurting. I can't even imagine how hard this must be for you!"

Emma slightly turned her head away. She really wasn't in the mood for a hope speech.

"But we will find her, I promise, good always wins! She will be fine, and you'll get her back, and then we can all go home and-"

"Stop it!" Emma snapped, shocked at how irritated she sounded. But the stress of the past few days was taking its toll. "If you want to go and make someone feel better, go find Killian, but stop pretending like Calie is my daughter, because she's not!"

She got up from the bed, walking away from her mother. Not that she could avoid her, she thought grimly, looking at the wall in front of her.

She tried to focus on the painting on her eye level. It showed three children playing in a field. Emma's gaze fixed on the girl and a dark-haired boy. They could almost be Henry and Calie, when she was older. Henry loved her like a sister. He had always been so pure, so loving. Like her parents. Too bad that trait had skipped a generation. Emma briefly wondered if all the time she spent alone, in the foster system, was the reason for her jealousy, the reason she feared not to be enough, after all this time.

"But… she's Killian's daughter and you're together", Snow said confused. "I mean you've taken care of her for the last four months. You're the only mother she has!"

"I'm NOT her mother!" Emma shouted, spinning around. "And Killian took care of her, not me. Her mother is dead!"

The pity in Snow's face didn't help. If anything, it made her angrier and more frustrated. Why didn't anyone get it? It wasn't like she wasn't already irritated enough.

"I know what you're doing", Snow said. "You're trying to protect yourself from emotions, like you always do. But I think you love her, and you know that. And now you're fighting with Killian, which is absolutely natural because you're both worried for her, but it will all be fine in the end! Good always wins!"

"You want to know why Killian and I are _fighting_?" Emma said. "Because I wish we'd never found Calie, and I told him that!"

Snow looked shocked for a moment, but she quickly covered it up.

"I'm sure you didn't mean it, even if you think you did. You love each other, and you'll figure it out. As for Calie, she's just a baby. If you're worried that she won't accept you, don't be! She never knew her mother, and she will love you!"

"Since when are you an expert on parenting?" Emma asked coldly.

Snow flinched, and Emma sucked in her breath, immediately regretting what she'd said.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It wasn't fair. I'm just… tired."

She rubbed her face with her hands, sitting down on the bed. "Sorry."

"No, you're right", her mother said softly. "David and I are still learning."

She started gently rubbing her daughter's back. "With Neal _and_ with you."

"Can I ask you something?" Emma suddenly said. "If you had the chance, would you change anything? Would you still put me in that wardrobe?"

Snow's hand stilled on her back.

"Yes", she said with a sad smile. Emma tensed. "It was the right thing to do. We knew you would be the Savior, the only chance to break the curse. It does _not_ mean that I don't wish things had been different, that David and I could have raised you, and that we could have been a family. I wish it so much, Emma! And I'm sorry for everything you went through because of this."

Emma nodded slightly. "Don't be", she whispered. "As you said, it was the only way to break the curse. You saved all the people in your kingdom because you are heroes, and you did the right thing by giving up your child, and giving me my best chance."

She took a deep breath, holding back the tears stinging in her eyes. "It's just sometimes I wish you weren't heroes. Sometimes I wish you hadn't saved everyone else but me, and just kept me. Because for all the years before I knew you, I never once felt like a Savior, or loved, or like I had my best chance. I never knew. I always thought my parents abandoned me because they didn't want me."

"I know, sweetheart, but you know the truth now."

Emma felt a tear escaping her eye, and angrily wiped it away. "That doesn't matter. I've known you for what, two years? And I'm thirty, mum. The lonely part in my life was kinda pretty long! And I can't even blame you because you did the right thing. And now you expect me to do the right thing, too, and love my boyfriend's motherless child, even if her mother was his true love, and even if she's a constant reminder that I will always be his second love. He only has eyes for her, because she's the only thing he's left from Milah!"

She couldn't help the tears from streaming down her face now. Her mother put her arms around her and pulled her close.

"Emma, he loves you! Maybe you've just been shutting yourself out? Calie is a part of his life now, she's his daughter, and like it or not, but you have to accept that. You know how it's like to love a child. If you distance yourself from her or see her as competition, it's no wonder you're distancing yourself from Hook, too! And she really needs you, as a mother. She's just a baby, Emma. She's not yours, but that doesn't mean she can't become yours."

"I'm a horrible person for hating her", Emma said between sobs.

"No, you're not. And as I said, I don't think you do. Otherwise you wouldn't be trying so hard to find her."

...

'Iseult.'

 _Morgause quietly snorted in disgust. Was this another way to punish her? Not only did she have to marry a man three times her age, she had to do so under a fake name. Nimue didn't want anyone to associate her with Avalon or with magic in general, so now, instead of Morgause le Fay, she was Iseult of the White Hands._

 _How could she do this to her? Names held power. Nimue knew that. Morgause le Fay was strong and had her own mind. Iseult of the White Hands was no one. She was weak. She only served as a way for Uther to gain more power._

" _Lady Iseult, are you tired of riding yet? You can always sit in the carriage", one of the knights escorting her asked. He was probably the youngest knight in Uther's court, save for Prince Arthur. Morgause tried to remember his name. Something starting with T._

" _No, I am fine", she heard herself say. She smiled at him. "But thank you for your concern, Sir…?"_

" _Tristan. My name is Tristan."_

 _She gave him another smile and he fell behind as they passed a narrow bridge. Morgause focussed her gaze on Merlin, who was riding before her. His white cloak covered almost all of the horse's back._

 _She had seen him talking to her mother right before they had left. Nimue had given him something and she wanted to know what it was. A weapon in case Morgause refused to marry Mark? Surely her parents wouldn't hurt her?_

 _Morgause wasn't naïve. She knew that Merlin was her father, even though Nimue had tried to keep it a secret. It was the only explanation for her power. The legacy of the le Fays combined with the one of the most powerful magicians to ever live. Even though she had never been allowed to use her magic she felt that if she learned to control it, no one would be able to stop her._

 _She was also perfectly aware that her mother feared her power. They both knew that if she trained her, the student would soon exceed the master._

 _Morgause could feel the magic within her every second she was awake. She could feel it tingling in her fingers, prickling sometimes, as if it was impatient to be used. She could feel it in the air in Avalon, as if the magic on the island was inviting her to come along, to join in the ancient dance. She could feel it in her heart that threatened to burst every moment she had to hold back. Every part of her body and soul yearned to finally let go, but she didn't know how. It was like there was something missing, the key ingredient to channeling the power within and letting it out._

 _If there was one thing Morgause didn't understand it was why Nimue decided to have a child with Merlin in the first place. That question had kept her up so many nights since she had figured out who her father was. She wasn't under any illusions that her parents were in love and she was the product of their affair. It wasn't how these things worked in her family._

 _The Lady of the Lake wasn't supposed to fall in love and give into feelings. She was supposed to stand above it and make the best decision by finding a suitable father for her heir. Nimue had later broken this arrangement with Uther, but it didn't matter as much since she already had a daughter. She wouldn't have made that mistake with her heir._

 _So if Nimue chose Merlin as Morgause's father, she must've anticipated that the child would be born with magical powers beyond her understanding. It must've been her intention._

Power, Love and Wisdom.

 _The three ideal traits that balanced each other, at least according to her mother. How many times had she heard them in her childhood?_

 _Could it be that long ago, Nimue had favored power over the other two? If she really had created Morgause out of lust for power, it was only ironic that she would take it away from her now, she thought bitterly._

 _Her thoughts wandered back to the object Nimue had given Merlin._

 _Just what had her parents planned?_


	7. Milah

**Disclaimer: Still not my characters.**

* * *

It was cold. It was always cold. Cold tucked her in when she went to sleep, cold woke her up in the morning.

She opened her eyes, seeing the stone ceiling above her. Her eyes had long since gotten used to the dark. She barely remembered what light looked like.

Milah sat up, cracking her neck to get rid of the nasty tension. Sleeping on stone wasn't exactly comfortable. The straw that had once resembled a bed was hopelessly scattered all around the cell. She'd tried to push it back together more than once, always picking up more dust than anything else.

Her hand reached for the bone she kept next to her. She'd saved it from her food, back in the old times when she'd gotten more than a bowl full of slime. Almost automatically, like every day, she started scratching a line into the cave wall. It took her a while, as always, but at least it was a way to pass time.

She didn't even know if she was counting days. It was hard to tell when you didn't see the sun rise. She marked every time she woke up, that had to be enough.

When she was finished, she stretched out her free hand and felt for the biggest marking, the one she'd made a while ago. The one she'd retraced time and time again, carving it deeper and deeper into the stone, so she would never forget. She counted 147 lines after it. Almost five months. Almost five months had passed since Liam's birth.

Milah closed her eyes, leaning her forehead against the wall. Five months. Where was he? Was he even alive?

She called him Liam, in her head. She didn't even know it was a boy, it could as well be a girl, but she didn't want to think of him as an 'it'. So, until she found him, because she had to believe that she would see him again, he was Liam. A name she knew Killian would've loved.

She hadn't seen him. The witch had taken him right after his birth, before she even had a chance to take him in her arms. She remembered that day like it had been yesterday. She'd screamed and fought, tried to get on her feet and get her child, but she'd been too weakened from giving birth, and the witch had been too fast. She'd been left on the floor, grabbing the bars with both hands and screaming her lungs out for her to come back as the witch carried the small bundle in her arms and disappeared.

There was a sudden light at the door and Milah spun around. It was the witch, lifting the protection spell from her cell before opening the lock on the door with a flick of her wrist, as she always did.

It was the spell that held her captive, not the bars. Milah had lived too long as a pirate to be held by a simple lock. But there was nothing she could do against magic and boy, had she tried. She'd spent hours, days, maybe even weeks trying to break out of her prison, breaking her fingernails on the lock and hurting her shoulder in trying to push open the door. It wasn't possible. Not for her.

"Breakfast", the witch said with a cold smile, setting down another wooden bowl. "Or dinner. Whichever suits you."

"Where's my child?" Milah demanded, again. She had never gotten an answer, but she wouldn't stop asking. Not until she knew.

"Safe," the witch replied, and Milah's heart skipped a beat. It was the first she had heard of him since he was born. "For now," she continued with a cruel smile. "It won't be long now. Then I can finally harvest what I sowed. Until then, I need your precious baby to be alive."

It took a while for the words to settle in. She was still surprised to actually have gotten an answer.

"What do you mean?" she whispered. "What are you going to do to him?"

"Enjoy your meal", was all she heard. The witch locked the door behind herself before walking away in the darkness.

"Get back!" Milah screamed, throwing herself at the bars. "Let me out of here! Give me my son, leave him alone! Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

She felt tears running down her cheeks as her voice got hoarse from all the screaming. There was no one to hear her. The witch had left.

Angrily, she wiped her face. Crying wouldn't help her, and certainly not Liam. She had determined that when she had first woken up in this prison. She would stay strong, no matter what.

Any yet, what could she do? No one knew she was here. No one would come for her. And if they did, they wouldn't get past the witch. She had clung to reason and sanity for months, despite the circumstances, but who was she kidding? She was never going to get out of here.

Milah didn't know why she was still alive. If it was her child that the witch needed from her, why did she keep her alive now, months after delivery? The way she had talked about 'harvesting what she'd sown', she must have a plan. Maybe Milah was a part of it, as well. Maybe she was yet another pig waiting to be slaughtered when it was ripe. Like Liam.

Liam, whom she'd failed. Maybe this was her punishment for leaving Bae. She'd been a mother, and she'd thrown it away. She'd abandoned her child.

She'd never been religious or believed in Karma. With everything she'd seen in the Ogre's Wars, and later, in her pirate life, she'd come to the conclusion that there was no higher justice. Good people died, and bad people survived, thriving happily on the blood and bones of innocents. If you wanted something, you had to get it, and be prepared for stones to be thrown in your way. Eat or get eaten.

But now, she wondered if maybe there was something like karmic payback. If there was, it was catching up with her. And Liam would pay the price.

Not being able to hold back her tears anymore, Milah sank to the floor, arms still reaching through the bars of her cell.

"Please," she whispered, not sure who would hear her. "Please just save him. Someone please save him."

She repeated those words like a prayer, and maybe that's what they were.

"Please."

...

Henry carefully stuffed the bag under his cloak, making sure it wasn't too obvious. He had packed a little of everything that they had been served for dinner. Well, everything he could pack and carry without crushing it.

Kara must be hungry, after all, he hadn't visited her in two days. But he couldn't do this too often, otherwise his family would get suspicious.

He wanted to tell them about her. He promised her they would save her mom. And he was still determined to keep that promise, but now it seemed they'd have to wait a little longer than expected.

Firstly, he wasn't usually invited to battle discussions. He was stuck with whoever they put on babysitting duty. They told him he could help take care of the babies, but sometime he wondered if he was actually one of the children that needed to be taken care of in their eyes.

So telling them about his encounter with Kara was hard. He rarely found the time to speak to anyone in private, and after a while he stopped wanting to. If they didn't want to know what he had to say, why would he tell them what he knew? They thought he was just a kid anyway. Even if they decided to go and save Kara's mom, they would never let him come along. He'd just sit in the castle and wait for them come home victorious.

And yet he knew this wasn't about him. This was about Kara getting her mom back. And about them defeating Morgause and getting Calie back. He knew he had to tell someone.

It was Robin's turn to look after the children while the others were discussing their plans. He had to tell him, now. He'd promised Kara.

Henry took a deep breath and sat down next to his stepfather. How should he start this? Thankfully, Robin broke the ice first.

"So, Henry, how are you doing?" he asked him.

"Good," Henry replied. "I mean, my sister's been taken hostage by an evil witch, but apart from that…"

"Don't worry, we will find her," Robin assured her. "If there's one thing your family is good at, it's finding people."

"I know. That's what I told… Look, Robin, I gotta tell you something."

The former thief turned to fully face him, his face serious. Henry like this about Robin, he made him feel like he was taken seriously.

"What is it?"

The other day, while you were having dinner with Arthur, I met this girl…"

Robin raised his eyebrows. "Oh. A girl." He nodded. "Do tell."

"It's not like that", Henry said embarrassed. "I just think she could help us. She knows something about Morgause."

"You told her about Morgause?" Robin asked concerned. "Henry, I understand that these matters are confusing, especially when you're young, but you can't just trust a stranger with our purpose in Camelot. Remember, they are not particularly fond of magic in this kingdom."

"I told you, it's not like that! And she is a witch, too, I helped her escape from the guards. Her mom is being held captive by Morgause."

Robin frowned.

"If that is the truth and she wasn't lying, maybe we could indeed win her over, but if she is just a child I doubt that she could – or _should_ – help us much in battle."

"She's the same age as me!"

"Exactly."

"But I want to fight!"

"Not a chance, Henry. It's too dangerous."

"Stop treating me like a kid!"

"You are a child."

"Maybe we could just protect her from Morgause?" Henry insisted.

Robin looked at him and chuckled. "We'll see what we can do. It's always so refreshing to see the fruits of young love."

"We're _not_ in love", Henry said through gritted teeth. "She threw a pinecone at me!"

"Yes, it does indeed not sound like she was very impressed by your flirting. But I am sure once she gets to know you…" he teased.

"Robin!" Henry shouted. "I mean it! It's not funny."

"Sorry to interrupt", someone said at the door.

Belle's head popped into the room.

"Robin, we need you in the conference room."

"Now? But I'm supposed to watch the children."

Belle glanced at the cribs, her gaze lingering on her daughter.

"Henry can watch them. It's not for long, and they're sleeping anyway."

Robin shrugged. He got up from the armchair and patted Henry on the shoulder.

"I'll be back in a moment. If they wake up, you know where to find me."

"I think I can rock a baby to sleep," Henry assured him.

"Yeah, but they might be hungry, or need to get changed. Anyway, if you need anything, I'll be close."

Robin gave him a friendly nod and followed Belle out the room, closing the door behind him.

Henry got to his feet and strolled to the cribs. He leaned on Neal's, careful not to move it. He looked down at the sleeping child, feeling the bag for Kara under his cloak. It didn't look like he'd manage to visit her today.

"Guess we're in the same boat, Neal," he mumbled. "We're just kids to them. They won't let us do anything by ourselves."

As he watched his uncle sleep, a plan began to form in his head.

...

 _Morgause looked at the small glass phials in her hand. She had snatched them from Merlin. It had been ridiculously easy, playing the good girl and pretending to accept her fate to get close to him. For being the most powerful wizard of all, as they said, he was unbelievably naïve._

 _She recognized the liquid inside at first glance. It was a powerful and rare love potion, taken from the private stocks of Avalon. As much as she knew, these two were the last ones. Nimue had undoubtedly intended them for Mark and her. Her hands trembled with anger._

" _First she controls my actions, and now she wants to control my heart", she muttered under her breath. "It won't work. I won't let that happen."_

 _These potions, of course, didn't create true love, but they were strong enough to make the person believe they were in love. Only the death of the loved one could break them. With this, Nimue wanted to make sure she would marry Mark and be a good wife to him until he died._

" _You look troubled, milady", she heard someone say. She looked up._

 _Tristan was standing in front of her, his young face filled with concern. She forced herself to smile._

" _I am simply thinking about the future, Sir Tristan."_

 _He gave her a short nod._

" _May I join you?"_

" _Sure."_

 _He sat down, facing her._

" _Were you sent to keep an eye on me?" Morgause teased._

 _He smiled uneasily, caught._

" _You are to marry a king and restore the peace between two kingdoms. We cannot risk anything happening to you."_

" _Of course", she sighed. "I am merely a peace-offering."_

 _Tristan frowned._

" _Milady, you are not thinking of running away, are you?"_

 _She forced a smile. "Of course not. I will accept my fate. That doesn't mean that I have to like it."_

 _She turned around. "Where are my manners? I haven't even offered you a drink!" She grabbed a horn of wine. Shielding her actions with her body, she emptied one phial into it. She completed the spell with one of her hairs._

" _Here", she said, offering the horn to Tristan. "Have some wine. It is good."_

 _She felt a smile spread on her face as she watched him set it to his lips. Behind her back, her hand closed around the other phial. She had plans for that, too._

 _She would get her revenge._


	8. Elaine

**Disclaimer: Still not my characters :)**

* * *

"Arthur is your father?" David exclaimed. "How the hell did that happen?"

They were gathered in the room they had picked out for all their meetings. They called it their conference room, and when it wasn't that, it was Snow and David's bedroom.

Killian had finally decided to tell them the truth about his past in Camelot. He had tried to keep it a secret, but it only made matters more complicated, and right now, he needed everything to be clear. They had to focus on finding Calie.

"There is a story to this, and it's rather long, but this is a fact. He didn't raise me. I didn't even know for a long time," he said, patiently answering all the questions they had. There were many.

"So you're a... I mean..." Snow started.

"Bastard? Yes. My stepfather raised me believing I was his son. My mother took that secret to her grave."

"But didn't you say Arthur killed her mother?" Emma threw in.

"Aye, that he did." Killian looked down at the table. "They didn't, I mean, they didn't love each other, not really. As far as I know, there were love potions involved, but they wore off. I don't know."

Emma nodded, avoiding his gaze. She had convinced him to tell them the truth. Mostly, she'd just told him how much it pissed her off that he hadn't done so already. Now she seemed to regret asking, as if she understood why he'd wanted to keep it a secret. But he could see now that she'd been right. They couldn't keep things like that from each other.

"And Arthur didn't recognize you?" Regina clarified.

She was frowning, trying to connect the pieces in her mind.

Killian shook his head. "Why would he", he said bitterly. "It's not like he really cared. He saw me once or twice as a boy, that's it."

"So, if you're Arthur's son, who's your mother?" Belle asked carefully. Her voice was gentle, but there was something else in her eyes, as if she knew something.

Killian hesitated. "Morgana le Fay", he said.

"Le Fay?" Emma asked, her eyes blown wide.

"Morgause's sister", Gold said quietly.

He didn't usually say much during their meetings, preferring to stay out of it. He'd made it clear from the beginning that his goal was keeping his family safe, not fighting Morgause. If it hadn't been for the portal, he wouldn't even have come.

"Nimue's second daughter. As far as I know, she was also Arthur's half-sister."

Killian nodded, grimacing. "As I said, love potions."

"Whoa", Emma said. "That's... a lot to take in."

Robin cleared his throat. "Pardon me. But do I understand correctly that when Arthur talked about the sister that betrayed him… he meant your mother?"

"Aye, he did. But he was lying. She never hurt anyone."

He clenched his jaw, looking down once more.

"She used her magic for good."

Emma gently placed a hand on his shoulder, rubbing soothing circles.

"You said you had a sister," she whispered. "Was she…?"

He nodded, trying to ignore the lump that was forming in his throat.

"They killed Kara as well."

"That is horrible!" Snow gasped, raising her hands to her chest. "I am _so_ sorry!"

Belle was still frowning as if there was something she wanted to say. Finally, she opened her mouth: "So, Killian, I'm sorry, but… are you Mordred?"

He raised an eyebrow. "It's my middle name."

Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn't say anything else. She just nodded slowly.

"Who's Mordred?" Emma asked.

Belle looked around, realizing everyone around her was lost.

"You don't know? Didn't anyone here read Thomas Malory's _Le Morte d'Arthur_?"

When no one reacted, she added: "Marion Bradley Zimmer's _The Mists of Avalon_?"

She named a few more books until she finally gave up, realizing that nobody knew what she was talking about.

"What do these stories say about me?" Killian asked.

Belle hesitated. "That you're Arthur's son. And Morgana's. Although many versions seem to blend Morgana and Morgause into one person, making her an evil witch, Arthur's sister _and_ your mother."

Killian frowned, feeling that she was leaving out something. But this was Belle, surely she would tell them if it was important?

"What about Morgause?" David asked. "So you are related. Do you know anything about her? What she wants, why she went after your daughter, anything?"

He shook his head, bitterly. "If I did, maybe I'd have a way of stopping her, or at least predicting her next steps. But I have no idea. I only know that she and my mother didn't have the best of relationships."

"Could this be about her?" Snow asked. "Do you think she's after you because she can't hurt your mother anymore?"

Killian shrugged, taking a deep breath. "Possibly. I wouldn't put it past her. But she didn't have to wait two hundred years for that."

"Maybe she needed something first. Maybe she had to wait until the curse was broken," Regina suggested.

"We're not going to get anywhere by guessing," David said. "It's late. We should all get some sleep and think about it tomorrow with fresh minds."

He gave Killian a long and thoughtful look. "Thanks for telling us the truth. It can't have been easy."

Killian gave him a short nod, still thinking about Morgause.

...

When everyone had left the room, Emma turned to Killian. He was looking at one of the paintings, but Emma guessed that he was really thinking about everything he'd just revealed to them.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have pressured you into telling them. I didn't know…"

"It's alright," he said, turning to her. "You were right. I can't hide these things forever. Especially not when we're trying to fight Morgause."

"You mean your aunt?"

He made a face. "Please don't call her that."

"Sorry."

She took a deep breath, stepping closer. She missed him. She missed just being able to comfort him when he needed it without asking permission. She missed just kissing him when she felt like it. And never had she been more aware of it than now that they were standing close to each other.

Normally she wouldn't hesitate to hug him, pull him close, let him lean on her. Now she wasn't sure if he wanted her to.

"We'll find her," was all she could say. "And we'll defeat Morgause."

"Everyone keeps saying that, but we aren't getting anywhere," he responded bitterly. "All we do is talk."

"If you think something often enough, maybe it will become reality."

He raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you believe in that?"

She shrugged. "Someone has to."

Emma searched his face, not really knowing what for. By now, she felt like she knew every inch of it. She tried to see what he was feeling. Was he still angry with her?

He looked back, his face perfectly still, but his eyes constantly moving to take all of her in. Slowly, she stood on her tiptoes, leaning forward. He didn't move away, and their lips connected, brushing lightly against each other. It was nothing more than the hint of a kiss, but it was all she wanted right now.

"I need to speak to Belle about something," she said, and he nodded. She took one last look at him before leaving the room.

As expected, she found Belle at her daughter's crib. Henry was sitting nearby, chewing on a slice of bread.

Emma came up to her son, kissing his head.

"Hey, kid. It's late, don't you wanna go to bed?"

Henry shrugged, getting up and leaving the room without a comment. She watched him leave with a frown. Was something wrong? She made a mental note to ask him about it later.

"Belle, I need to ask you something," she said, turning to the brunette.

"Sure, what is it?"

Emma bit her lip. "I know there's something you're not telling us about these books you read. Something about Killian."

Belle opened her mouth to protest, but Emma cut her off. "Superpower, remember? It might not always be reliable, but you aren't exactly a good liar."

Her face softened when she saw the other woman freeze on the spot. Being busted in a lie must be a new one for her. She didn't want to be too hard on her.

"Look, I need to know, ok? This is about Killian."

Belle nodded. "Of course. I'm sorry, I wanted to say it, but I didn't know how."

"What is it?" Emma urged her.

Belle closed her eyes for a moment.

"In the stories, Mordred isn't just Arthur's son, he is his nemesis. His arch enemy."

"What does that mean? Does he kill him? Is that what it is? Is Killian the one who kills Arthur?"

"Worse," Belle whispered. "They kill each other."

...

" _My my, Camelot really is cursed."_

 _Morgause spun around, only to see the Dark One poking at a leaf that had frozen mid-air. "I must admit, I am impressed. The wizard really is as powerful as they say."_

 _She rolled her eyes. "Yes, of course, Merlin was the greatest of them all. Would you like me to bring you to his tomb so you can kiss his rotten feet, or can we get to business?"_

 _Rumplestiltskin turned to her, grinning impishly._

" _Ah, Morgause le Fay. Lovely to finally meet you." He indicated a bow. "I see you have your mother's temper. You might not know it, but she and I have crossed paths many years ago, when you were yet to be born."_

" _I don't care what business you had with my mother, I want to know what you can do for me", Morgause hissed._

 _The imp laughed. It was a strange sound, shrill sound, not human at all._

" _Family trouble? Oh, don't worry dearie, I understand that all too well. But tell me: If all of Camelot was frozen, why weren't you?"_

" _I managed to flee to Arendelle before the curse hit. I came back later, so I wouldn't age."_

" _So you can move freely, but time still stands. How convenient."_

 _He danced around her, admiring the environment. He picked up twigs, plugged leaves and insects from the air and knocked on tree trunks._

" _I'd rather have the curse gone," she snarled, annoyed by his childish games. This Dark One was so different from the last._

 _Rumplestiltskin turned on his heels to look at her. He raised a finger, like a teacher that was about to instruct a child._

" _If that is what you called me here for, I must disappoint you: I cannot simply break a curse this powerful."_

" _Then I am glad it is not what I called you here for. I know how to break the curse, I just need a little more time."_

 _He came closer, finally intrigued. Walk wasn't the right term to describe the way he moved. It was smoother, but somehow unsettling. He seemed to be lurking, slithering like a snake waiting for the right moment to strike. His abnormally big eyes were fixed on her, and she refused to break eye contact. She was the most powerful le Fay that had ever lived, and she wouldn't let this creature intimidate her._

" _What is it?" he asked as he grew impatient, waiting for her answer._

 _Morgause opened stretched out her hand and clicked her fingers, producing a flame. It burned bravely for a few seconds before slowly losing power and shrinking. Shortly before it vanished completely, she had to let it go, or it would have burned her._

" _My magic," she explained. "It's tied to Avalon. Normally, it works in Camelot, as well. But now Avalon and Camelot are frozen."_

" _You're losing your magic," the Dark One summarized. "It's cut off from its source of power. So now you want me to help you keep it."_

" _Not only that. I need to be able to use it outside of Camelot, as well. I can't normally do that."_

" _Outside of Camelot?" Rumplestiltskin asked. "What do you want there?"_

 _Morgause smiled at him. "You don't need to know that."_

" _I don't need to help you, either."_

 _She sighed. "It could be decades until the curse breaks. Centuries, even. You can't expect me to stay here all the time."_

 _The Dark One seemed to consider her wish. He cocked his head to the side and calmly drummed his fingers against his thumb._

" _Fine. Give me your necklace."_

 _He pointed his long, dirty finger at her chest, where her pendant lay warm against her skin. Instinctively, she covered it with her hand._

" _I can't give you that."_

" _Getting sentimental?" he teased._

 _Hesitantly she pulled on the pendant until the clasp opened. It was a silver triple spiral, or it had been, long ago. When she'd found it as a child, it had already been damaged. The tip of one spiral was missing, the rough edge suggesting that it had broken. Maybe that way why Nimue had thrown it out. It wasn't good enough for her. And for that reason alone, she'd kept it._

 _Later it had been caught in some of her experimental magic, resulting in another broken spiral. A small piece of the circle surrounding it was missing, as well. But she refused to throw it away._

" _Don't worry, you'll get it back. I'm not the jewelry type," Rumplestiltskin said._

 _She handed it to him and he held it up against the light, examining it skeptically._

" _This was made in Avalon. It will do."_

 _He waved his hand over it and it lit up for a second or two._

" _There. Wear it, and it will allow you to channel your magic even from afar."_

 _Morgause reached for it, but he held it out of her grasp._

" _Not so fast. What do I get in return?"_

 _She snorted. "So this is what you do? Your Dark One thing is trading? You're a merchant now?"_

" _More of a collector," he said. "And I call it making deals."_

 _She rolled her eyes. "I have gold."_

 _His lips curled in amusement. "No you don't. And if you did, I wouldn't be interested. I have magic, I don't need to buy things. People give them to me willingly. Or after some… creative persuasion."_

" _I need my magic. I'll give you whatever you want!"_

" _Careful, dearie. Don't promise more than you can give." He sang the last part like a child might sing while playing. "However, you're in luck. There is one thing I want, and it isn't much to ask."_

 _Somehow, she doubted that. But it wasn't like she had much of a choice._

" _What is it?"_

" _Immunity. If you are out there with your magic, which I gave you, I want to be sure that you can never use it against me. Or my blood."_

 _He looked at her expectantly._

 _She eyed him for a second or two._

" _Deal."_

 _He giggled, handing her the necklace. As soon as she touched it, she could feel fresh magic running through her fingers. By the time she had fastened it on the back of her neck, she felt reborn._

 _She clicked her fingers again, and now the flame had no trouble staying alive. It felt bigger and stronger than ever._

" _You know, this deal-making of yours is better than what the last one did, I have to admit."_

" _What did he do?" Rumplestiltskin asked curiously._

" _You didn't know him?" Morgause asked surprised._

" _Only as long as it took to kill him."_

 _She smiled. Finally someone who thought like her._

" _He gave people what they wanted, but he made them regret ever asking."_

" _And how did he do that?"_

 _She shrugged, rubbing her pendant between her fingers._

" _I have only heard of him. Perhaps you should ask someone who treated with him, like Queen Igraine… oh, wait, she's dead."_

" _Yes, I suppose she is."_

 _..._

Killian was strolling through the royal gardens. It was a good place to get away from everything and clear his mind. The evening was fresh, and the cool air felt as cleansing as a cold shower. There was nobody around, and he was grateful for that. Following the man-made path, he tried to lose himself between the trees, listening to the birds' songs.

It had been days since they arrived in Camelot. Calie had gone all this time without him. Did Morgause provide for her? The Charmings kept telling her that all signs pointed to Morgause needing Calie alive, but what did they know? Maybe she needed her for a spell, the same way Zelena had tried to use Neal. Maybe she needed to be four months old for the spell to work, and she'd given her to him so he could, unknowingly, raise her like a pig for slaughter. If she was dead, would he ever know? Would Morgause come and brag to see his face, or would she keep quiet and take pleasure from watching their useless attempts of finding her? Killian hadn't had to deal with her since childhood, he had no idea what horrible idea she would come up with to satisfy her sadistic heart.

He reached a turn and, still lost in his thoughts, almost collided with someone. Perplexed, he looked up, recognizing Lady Elaine, who seemed just as surprised as he was.

"Apologies," he said. "I wasn't looking."

"Me neither," she replied.

He gave her a tight smile. "I should be going." He tried to push past her.

"Not so fast, Sir Charles." Elaine blocked his path, the corner of her lips turned up. "You and your family have been staying here for almost a week, and I hardly get the chance to talk to any of you. Let us walk together."

Killian frantically searched his mind for a way to get out of this situation without being rude or unprincely, but he couldn't think of anything.

He swallowed his frustration and forced himself to bow, remembering his training in the royal navy. "I would be honored, milady."

He turned around, joining her in her way back to the castle.

"Drop the pleasantries. I feel they always get in the way of a proper conversation. Besides, you married into a royal family, our statuses should be considered equal."

"I have always been taught that birth ranks higher than marriage," he replied, thinking of all the things he'd rather do than having a dull conversation with someone he couldn't even tell his real name.

"At least you have a kingdom to rule over, I have none."

"What kingdom are you from?" he asked, hoping that she would talk and he could just pretend to listen and let his mind wander.

"Agrabah," she replied. "You have likely never heard of it, it is far away from here."

"Agrabah?" he asked, skeptically looking at her from aside. He took in her red hair, her pale skin and the fabric of her clothes. Not only was she most certainly not part of the royal family, Killian doubted she could even point at it on a map. "As it happens, I do indeed know your kingdom. I have visited it on more than one occasion."

"You have?" her eyes widened in surprise and, as he supposed, fear. "I had no idea you were a traveler."

"Before my marriage with the princess of Misthaven I was a captain in the royal navy," he lied, suddenly much more interested in the conversation. He'd always suspected that something was off about Lady Elaine, but truth be told, he hadn't given it much thought. But now, as the evidence against her piled up, he remembered Emma talking about a possible ally of Morgause's in the castle. Could it be her? Did she know where Calie was? He suppressed the urge to press her against the next tree and scare the truth out of her. He couldn't lose his temper. Calie's life was on the line.

Elaine's lips smiled, but her eyes remained worried. "How wonderful to hear that my kingdom has recovered. I left more than 200 years ago, you see?"

Of course she did. He had been to Agrabah more than 200 years ago, as well. If the royal family had been slaughtered, he would have heard of it.

"Why did you come to Camelot?" he asked, keen on finding more clues to who she really was. "Surely other kingdoms are much closer to your home."

"That was what worried me," she explained, gaze focused on the path ahead of them. "I didn't want to risk being found. I travelled for weeks until I came here. I meant to go even further, but the king's men found me and brought me to the castle. Arthur offered me asylum."

Killian nodded, pretending to buy her story. His mind was racing. If she wasn't from Agrabah, where was she from? Judging from the color of her skin and hair, she could be from around here. She could've met Morgause and started working for her. Why? What did Morgause need from her? A spy in the castle? Or did Elaine have a skill that Morgause lacked?

"I hear many of the paintings in the castle were created by you," he said to keep the conversation going, and to stop her from asking questions herself. She was, after all, not the only one with a secret. Although, he thought, if she really worked with Morgause, there was a good chance she already knew everything about him, starting with his real name.

She chuckled. "I have to pass my time. I don't like to leave the castle grounds, in case my family's enemies come looking for me."

"The scenes you paint don't look a lot like Agrabah," Killian commented, biting his tongue. He didn't want her to know he was on to her.

"I will always carry my kingdom in my heart," she replied with a smile, "but Camelot has it's own beauty. I wish I could explore it more, but I can't. I have to use my imagination."

"Well, with the curse broken...," he started when he heard a loud crackling sound above his head.

"Killian!" Elaine yelled, pushing against his chest. He flew backwards until he stumbled against a tree, watching the branch land where he'd been mere seconds ago. It was solid and thick. It could have easily killed him.

"Are you alright?" Elaine asked, her voice shrill with worry.

"I'm fine," he said, rubbing the back of his head and brushing the dirt off his clothes.

His eyes met hers. "You used magic," he said slowly. The speed at which she'd moved and the strength with which she'd pushed him away left no doubt.

"You are mistaken," she said quickly, but he didn't need Emma's skill to see she was lying.

"You said my name," he continued. "My real name. You know who I am."

So she was Morgause's spy, after all. A witch at the heart of Camelot. Why did she save him? He could only assume Morgause needed him alive.

"Of course I know. You are Sir Charles, husband to the princess of Misthaven."

"That's not what you called me." Killian walked around the branch to stand closer to her. He didn't want to miss a single hint.

Suddenly a pendant around her neck captured his eyes. It must have been hidden under her dress before, and fallen out when she'd leaped at him.

It was a triple spiral inside a circle. He recognized it immediately.

And suddenly, all the pieces fit together.

"How dare you?" he said, his voice trembling with anger. He clenched his fist at his side, fingernails digging into his palm. "How dare you wear that?"

Elaine's eyes widened as she stepped back. "I don't know what you mean," she whispered.

Now he knew why her face didn't seem familiar. She was masking her true appearance, somehow. Magic was blocked in the castle, but she must've found a way. She always did.

"It belonged to my mother," he hissed, coming closer.

He saw the fear in her eyes as she backed away until her back hit the trunk of a tree. He felt a sudden wave of dark satisfaction. People used to be afraid of him, back in the old days. He'd left Captain Hook behind, but it was easy to find him again, looming on the inside. He needed him, if he wanted to save his daughter.

"You killed her. You set her up. You watched her burn. You won't destroy my family. Not again."

In that moment, he'd give anything to have his hook. But it was safely stored away in Storybrooke. His hand around her neck would have to suffice.

"Where is my daughter?" he hissed, only inches away from her now.

"Please, I don't know what you're talking about," she whispered, eyes filling with tears.

"Of course you do, Morgause," he growled. "You took her."

Elaine's eyes widened with realization. Her voice was barely audible.

"You think I'm Morgause?"

"Of course you are!"

"Is anyone there?" a voice shouted.

Killian mentally cursed as he backed away from Elaine. She straightened her clothes, avoiding his eyes.

"Yes, who's asking?"

A royal guard came into sight. "I need to ask you both to return to your chambers. You cannot be out here after nightfall, for your own safety."

"Of course," Elaine said. Her smile was perfect, as if nothing had happened. "We were just on our way there."

Killian nodded at the guard, following her back to the castle. His eyes were fixed on her the entire time. When she reached the door to her room, she hesitated and looked around. She didn't say anything, and he wasn't quite sure how to interpret her face. He'd expect teasing from her, but her expression almost resembled sadness. She quickly turned back, disappearing into her chamber and closing the door.


	9. Morgana

**A/N: thisisartsyanna has created an amazing artwork for this chapter. You can find it on her tumblr, and it is also the cover for this story!**

 **Diclaimer: Not my characters**

* * *

Killian looked around the ballroom. Ironic, that he of all people should find himself here. In a fancy, candlelit hall in the heart of Camelot, dressed like a nobleman. He remembered the last time he'd been to a ball. It had been in the past, with Emma. David's engagement ball. Emma's first ball. He looked at her now, standing next to her parents, dressed in a simple yet stunning white dress. Her hair was braided around her head, and there was a flower tucked between her blond strands. Clearly her mother's work.

His eyes scanned the room for Elaine. They had agreed not to do anything at the ball with the entire courtroom watching, but he wanted to make sure she didn't escape him again. He found her on the dance floor, engaged in a waltz with one of the knights. Her purple dress almost brushed the floor, but she never stumbled. He watched her for a few minutes, trying to get more hints. What was going through her head? Was she thinking about where she kept Calie? Was she silently triumphing, or was she worried knowing he'd seen through her mask?

According to the crocodile, there was a chance that the diamonds only stopped the direct use of magic. Magical objects that had been enchanted before could still work. A cloaking spell hidden in a piece of jewelry, for example, could hide her real face. The only jewelry he could see was the silver necklace with the triple spiral, the pendant yet again hidden under her dress. He remembered his mother wearing it. It had meant a lot to her, she'd always said it reminded her of her roots.

Killian clenched and unclenched his fist, trying to keep himself in check. Who was with Calie at this very moment? Considering how often he saw Elaine around the castle, she couldn't be with her enough. Maybe she had someone else look after her? He wasn't sure if that was better or worse.

"What are you doing?" he heard a voice behind him. He didn't need to turn around to recognize it was Emma's.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna stab her in the middle of the ballroom", he muttered. "Just making sure she doesn't go anywhere."

"We can't know for sure that it's her." There was a warning tone in Emma's voice. "I know you want to find her, so do I, but let's not rush into things! What if we're wrong?"

"Who else could she be?" he hissed. "She knew my real name. She has magic. She is wearing my mother's necklace."

"Are you sure it's hers?" Emma asked, gently touching his arm. "It could just look the same. It could be a coincidence."

"And my name?" He decidedly shook his head. "It must be her. I know it."

"You won't find anything at a ball, Killian," she whispered. "With so many people around, she's gonna be extra careful."

He sighed. "You're right, love."

She gently put her hand on his arm, sliding it up to his shoulder. It was a simple gesture, on that was almost second nature to them, but he realized it hadn't been like this since they arrived in Camelot. After their fight, and with all the worry about his daughter, being close to Emma had almost become a rarity.

"If we're not going to play detective, we might as well act according to the occasion," he said with a smile. He took her hand in his, kissing it in old gentleman fashion.

"Emma Swan, may I have this dance?"

After a moment, she smiled. "If you must."

He led her on the dance floor, the other couples making space for them. There were certain perks to passing as a royal, he figured, trying to ban Morgause from his mind. He'd been so focused on her that he'd distanced himself from Emma. She was right, there was nothing he could do at the ball. He wasn't betraying Calie if he enjoyed his moment. He wasn't about to lose what he had with Emma because of some sadistic witch.

Emma put one hand on his shoulder and grasped his prosthetic with her other. He slid his good arm around her waist, and they started moving to the rhythm. It took her a while to get back into it, but as he'd already told her last time, she was a natural.

"Your royal blood is starting to show," he teased as he watched her spin in front of him.

"Shut up," she scoffed, failing to suppress her grin.

"I am fairly certain a princess is not supposed to use such strong language."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you are one to talk."

He pulled her closer, bringing his lips to her ear. "I'm a bloody sailor, love. It's expected of me."

She chuckled, wrapping her arms around him and slowly swaying to the music. "Pirate."

"Always," he grinned, sighing as he buried his nose in her hair.

Holding her felt so good. He hadn't realized how desperately he yearned for somebody to lean on. With Calie gone, his mind seemed scattered, his body restless. Emma was pulling him back together again, and helping him calm down.

"I'm tired of fighting," he whispered, his fingers gently caressing the small of her back.

"Me, too," she answered, pulling away to look at his face. "I'm sorry for what I said."

"So am I. You would never hurt Calie, or me."

She smiled and pulled him closer for a kiss. He relaxed, as a huge weight lifted from his heart. Fighting with Emma had drained him more than he thought. But when she tried to deepen the kiss, he gently stopped her.

"This isn't your world, love. We shouldn't be doing this in public, even less in a royal ballroom."

"Yeah, I know. This is basically porn for them."

He raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What's porn?"

Emma sighed. "Not here, not now. And don't ask my parents about it, I don't want to have to explain how it came up. Come on, let's join the others."

Still confused, he followed her through the crowd, trying to find the rest of their allies. How her world could have so many unfamiliar words even though they spoke the same language, he would never understand.

...

"They will all be fine," Robin said, clearly trying to calm down the others.

"What's going on?" Emma asked as they joined the group. As soon as they came to a halt, Killian slid an arm around her, enjoying the fact that he could do that again.

"I don't feel good leaving Neal alone with a stranger," Snow said, arms hugging her body. "What if he gets scared? That nanny won't call for us."

"It's just for one night," Emma assured her. "He's gone that long without you before."

"Yes, with you, or Granny, or someone else we trust!"

"And we were always one phone call away," David added.

"Rose is too young to be away from her parents," Belle said, biting her lip.

 _Tell that to Calie_ , Killian thought, but he could just about stop himself from saying it out loud. He understood their worry. He, himself, had thought questions like these were vital for Calie's development only a week ago. If he let her out of his sight for too long, he'd been sure she'd grow up resenting him for it. Now, the questions he asked himself were more along the lines of _Is she alive? Is she starving or freezing? Will I ever see her again?_

"I hope she remembers to check in on Henry," Regina said, pacing up and down. "He wouldn't miss something like this for the world. If he says he can't go to a royal ball, he's seriously sick!"

"He's a teenager," Emma reminded her. And he'll be fine."

Suddenly, there was a violent tremor in the earth. They all grabbed each other's arms to keep their balance, blending out the terrified screams from the other guests.

"What is this?" David asked. "An earthquake?"

Just as soon as it had started, it was over. The people were still frightened, looking around for loved ones. Thankfully, none of the prized chandeliers had fallen from the ceiling.

"No," Rumplestiltskin snarled. He lifted his cane from the ground, carefully putting weight on his crippled foot. "Magic."

"Ladies and Gentlemen," a woman shouted, drawing several hundred eyes to herself.

"Morgause," Killian whispered, recognizing her immediately.

He felt the blood fade from his face. He instantly searched the room with his eyes, looking for Lady Elaine. She was nowhere to be seen. He knew it.

"I am terribly sorry for that little earthquake, it was _not_ easy to disable the crystal. But I can happily assure you that magic now roams free in this castle."

The first one to speak was Arthur. He, too, was very pale. "Begone, demon!" he yelled, surrounded by his knights.

Killian frowned as he suddenly saw the hint of a purple dress behind him. Elaine? Was she not Morgause after all?

Now she stepped forward, and he could see that it was really her. But if she wasn't Morgause, who was she?

"Killian!" Morgause shouted, quickly approaching him. "It is so good to finally see you again, annwyl. You have grown up. And how handsome you are! When was the last time I saw you? Was it that time you begged me not to hurt your mommy?"

She raised her hand, and suddenly his throat tightened. He couldn't breathe and started gasping for air.

"Leave him alone!" Emma yelled, trying to push the air, but Morgause waved her hand and paralyzed her along with the others.

"I thought we'd been through that, little savior. You can't beat me."

The black spots in Killian's vision got bigger, and his knees gave out beneath him. His hand was at his throat, frantically trying to push away the magical fingers blocking his windpipe.

"Are you going to kill him?" he hear Rumplestiltskin ask. He didn't seem worried, just curious.

Why wasn't he frozen like the others? It didn't matter. All that mattered was oxygen, or his lack thereof. He gasped like a fish, barely clinging to consciousness.

"No, that would be boring. I'm counting on his mommy to save him."

Suddenly the weight around his throat disappeared, and cold, fresh, wonderful air filled his lungs. He greedily inhaled it, his throat on fire, barely processing what was going on. There was a fireball in front of him. He should probably move, since it was coming closer, but the air was so wonderful he couldn't think of anything else.

Then there was a purple flash before his eyes, and someone was standing there, shielding him. He blinking, finally slowing his breathing and with it, his thoughts. Shakily, he got back on his feet.

Lady Elaine was standing right in front of him, and she had her arms crossed above her head, a protective gloom surrounding her.

"There you are," Morgause said with a smile. "But you are still hiding. Show me your face. I haven't seen you in two hundred years!"

Elaine's hand clasped around the triple spiral pendant. She yanked at it, and suddenly her features changed. Her red hair turned dark, and he couldn't see her face from where he was standing, but he knew what it looked like. It was impossible for her to be here, and yet, she was.

"Mother," he whispered.

Morgana looked over her shoulder, their eyes meeting. He stared at her blankly, mind racing, trying to make sense of what was happening. She had magic, she wore her necklace, and she knew his name. Of course these things wouldn't only be true for Morgause, but also for his mother. But he hadn't thought it possible, because he'd been convinced she was dead.

She _was_ dead. He'd seen it. He'd been a child back then, but this moment had burned itself into his memory. He remembered the crowd gathering around the pyre and watching, cheering as the guards lit it on fire. Just before his father and brother made him look away, his eyes found his mother's. Then there was nothing but the darkness of his father's clothes, which he pressed his face into. But he could still hear her scream, a sound more terrifying than anything else he'd ever heard again. He remembered the smell of burning flesh, cruelly reminding him of grilled pork.

Killian closed his eyes, shaking off unbidden memories. How could she be here? If she was alive, was Kara, too?

"It's so good to see you, sister," Morgause said with a grin. "It's been a while."

"Leave," Morgana answered. "You cannot win this fight."

The sister started circling each other like in a dance that both knew by heart.

"You and I both know that I am far more powerful than you," Morgause scoffed.

"But you are alone," Morgana hissed back, flicking her wrist and unfreezing everyone. "And you have a plan. I know you do. You can't risk it to fail, not yet."

Morgause seemed to consider her options, letting her gaze wander over everyone.

Morgana's interference seemed to have weakened her sister's spell. Emma shook it off and stepped forward, her hand glowing with magic. "Where are you keeping Calie?" she demanded.

Regina clicked her fingers, producing a flame.

Morgause looked back at her sister and smiled. "I got what I needed."

Without saying another word, she disappeared, leaving behind chaos.

The other guests awakened from the shock they had been in.

"Demon!" someone yelled. "She has come back from the dead to haunt us!"

A wave of panic rolled through the crowd and they tried to run away, making the sign of the cross.

Arthur emerged from the mob, making his way to them. He looked mortified, and Killian wondered if it was because of the magic or because he was worried about his reputation as a host.

The king stared at him, and it suddenly hit Killian that he must recognize him. He slightly opened his mouth, unsure of how he should act. Every instinct screamed at him to run away.

"We should go," Morgana said as Arthur's knights approached them quickly, hoping to catch the witch. "Everybody hold hands!"

Before the king's men could reach them, they had disappeared into thin air.

...

They reappeared in a small forest, no one else around them. Emma quickly scanned heir surroundings.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"Far from the castle," Morgana assured her.

"Mother," Killian said, embracing her.

She responded by holding him tightly, hand stroking his hair. Emma could hear her quietly talking to him.

"My son," she whispered. "My baby boy. Look at you, all grown up!"

She felt like an intruder in this private moment, but she couldn't help her curiosity. This was Killian's mother, after all. He'd never said a word about her before they came here, and now she was actually here. What was she like?

Suddenly she realized that this woman knew him as a child. What had he been like?

"How can you be here?" Killian asked, his voice breaking. He released her to look at her face. Despite everything that was going on, he looked truly happy.

Morgana smiled, caressing his cheek. "It's a long story, one that we better save for another day."

She seemed to want to say something else, but she didn't get the chance.

"Our children are still at the castle!" Belle called.

Morgana looked at her, suddenly alarmed. "Are they in your chambers?"

When everyone nodded, she reached out her hands for Belle and Snow. A moment later they were gone.

Emma looked at Killian.

"So, your mom, huh?" she asked, unable to think of anything better to say.

He nodded silently, still staring at the spot where she had last stood.

"She was there the whole time," David said. "She was Lady Elaine, and none of us knew!"

"How could you have?" Killian snorted. "You never knew her. I should have known. I took her for Morgause."

"You couldn't have known, either," Emma said, trying to calm him down.

Suddenly Morgana and the others reappeared, Snow and Belle both holding their children.

"Henry's gone," Snow said immediately.

"What?" Emma and Regina blurted out immediately.

"He's not in his chamber. The maid didn't see him go."

"What if Arthur took him hostage?" Emma whispered horrified.

Belle shook her head. "He didn't have enough time for that. The maid didn't even know what happened in the ballroom. We teleported outside the room, she didn't see us using magic. She has no reason to lie to us."

"Then where the hell is he?" Regina asked. No one knew the answer.

...

Henry looked at the cave in front of him and then back to Kara.

"Is this it?" he asked.

She nodded, eyes focused on the darkness within.

"The spell in there detects magic," she explained. "It's why I can't go in. She'd know immediately."

"But I can?" Henry clarified.

She hesitated, meeting his eyes for a split second.

"You should be able to. Look, you don't have to…"

"I'll do it," he said. "I'll be quick."

Everyone thought he was a child, too young to be let in on their plans or even go to a stupid royal ball. He'd prove them wrong, once and for all.

Kara smiled. She stepped forward, giving him an awkward, quick hug. "Thanks. Be careful."

He nodded, trying to look confident. "Careful is my middle name. What's your mother's name?"

"Morgana," she answered. "Morgana le Fay." Seeing the look he gave her, she added. "She's Morgause's sister. But don't worry, the crazy doesn't run in the family."

"Okay," Henry whispered.

He turned to the cave, heart beating nervously. What the hell was he doing? Deciding that it was too late to turn back, he entered, shivering against the sudden cold. It was dark, and he could barely see anything. He reached for the flashlight he had brought. Yep, he would need it. It was a good thing that it had been in his pocket when they went through the portal. He held onto it, not lighting it yet. He would need it later.

Morgana le Fay. If she was Morgause's sister, she must surely be powerful. Would she help them fight her? He really hoped so. After all, he was about to save her and reunite her with her daughter.

Henry carefully tiptoed through the darkness. Where was he going? And why was he being quiet anyway? Morgause surely wasn't here. She must be wherever she was keeping Calie. Where was she keeping Calie? What if she was keeping her here? He wondered if it had been a stupid idea to come here. But there was no turning back now.

He had already brought considerable distance between himself and the entrance, and he could barely see anything. He wouldn't get far without a light, so he switched it on, covering it with his hand. Something rustled, and he flinched.

"Hello?" a weak voice called. It was a woman, he realized.

He wasn't sure if he should answer. What if she wasn't Morgana le Fay? What if someone was listening? He came closer, every muscle tensed, ready to turn around and run at any moment.

"Who's there?" the voice called again. He was getting closer.

"Are you Morgana le Fay?" he asked, whispering.

He could see her now. She was standing behind the bars of a cell, her dark hair dirty and long. She squeezed her eyes and turned away from the light.

"Why?" she asked hoarsely.

"Don't worry, I'm here to help you. My name is Henry."

He pinned the light under his arm and reached under his coat.

"What are you doing here, Henry?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm getting you out! You are Morgana, right?"

"Yes," the woman said with a smile. "Yes, I am. How did you find me?"

"I met your daughter, Kara."

"Really?" Morgana said as she watched him search his pockets. "How is she?"

He grabbed the needles he had stolen from the castle and started picking the lock on her cell.

"She's fine. But she misses you." Scrambling with the needles, he tried to remember where to press.

"I miss her, too," Morgana said. After that, he watched him in silence as he tried to pick the lock, constantly readjusting the light under his arms.

"My mom's better at this, but she won't teach me," he said apologetically. "I learned it from a video on YouTube. It might take a while."

He cursed quietly when his hands slipped and he almost dropped the flashlight.

"Can you hold it for me?" he asked and she reached through the bars to grab it, frowning at the unfamiliar object.

"Is this a magic tool?"

"No. Well, almost. It's called electricity. But it doesn't have anything to do with this world's magic."

"You shouldn't be here", Morgana suddenly said, nervously stepping from one foot on the other. "That witch locked the cell with magic. You can't open it, and if she comes back and sees you, you're in trouble."

"She won't! We'll be gone before she knows it!"

"Is that so?" a cold voice behind him said.

Henry spun around, coming face to face with a woman.

He instantly knew this was Morgause. She looked down on him, smiling coldly.

"Leave him alone!" Morgana begged. "He's just a child!"

"He should have stayed with his mother!" she hissed, producing a flame.

All Henry could do was close his eyes as she threw it at him, and then – nothing.

He opened his eyes. Morgause seemed just as confused as he was.

"What?" she stared at her hand. She produced another flame, throwing it at him, but it didn't burn him.

Before she could launch another attack, someone swung at her from behind with a stick. Morgause dodged the attack, quickly grabbing the weapon.

When she turned, the light fell on Kara's face and Henry's heart sank,

"Who do we have here?" Morgause snarled, holding her tightly with her left arm and tightening her right hand around Kara's windpipe, making her gasp.

"Into the cell, now!" the witch hissed. The door swung open behind him.

Henry watched Kara's face turn dark as she struggled to break free and did as Morgause said.

"Please, don't hurt her," he pleaded.

"Don't worry, I won't kill her today."

Morgause let go of Kara and shoved her into the cell behind him, locking the door and sealing it with a flick of her wrist. She turned around and stalked away, spinning the keys on her finger for them to see.

"Are you alright?" Henry asked, looking at Kara.

She nodded, feeling her throat with her hands. "Alive," she confirmed, her voice raspy.

"Morgana," Henry said, turning to her. "I'm sorry our rescue mission kinda failed, but is there anything you can do to get us all out?"

She looked at him, eyes flicking nervously, her mouth half opened as if she wanted to say something.

"Henry," Kara suddenly said, looking at her for the first time. "That's not my mother."

"What?" Henry asked. "But… I asked you and… why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I really wanted to get out," the woman said, tears shining in her eyes. She blinked them away angrily. "I wasn't sure if you'd still help me if I told you the truth. I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to get stuck here as well."

"Then who the bloody hell are you?" Kara hissed angrily as Henry examined the rest of the cell with the flashlight.

He noticed that the wall was covered in markings. Markings that prisoners made to count the days they spent in their cells. There were many. So, so many. One particular marking stood out, being deeper and longer than the other ones.

"My name is Milah," the woman said.

"Milah?" Henry gasped, surprised. "Calie's mom?"

"Calie?" Milah frowned. "Who's Calie."

"Do you know Killian Jones?" Henry asked, pointing his flashlight at her again.

To his left, he heard Kara suck in her breath.

"Yes," Milah answered, barely audible. "Do you? Where is he? Is he alright?"

"Yeah, he's fine. But… you had a kid with him, didn't you? That's Calie. Well, Calypso, actually. Calypso Milah. He named her after you."

"Calie…," Milah whispered. "She's fine? She's with Killian? I thought… the witch…"

"Well… she was with Killian...," Henry winced. "Morgause kidnapped her a few days ago. That's why we're here. To get her back."

"The witch – Morgause – kidnapped her?" Milah asked incredulously. "That doesn't make any sense! She had her in the first place!"

"Yeah," Henry sighed. "That's weird."

"So, back to Killian Jones," Kara threw in, her voice shaking. "He's my brother."


	10. Dumnonia

**A/N: Check out captainodonoghue's tumblr for an amazing gifset for this chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: The characters still do, and always will, belong to Eddie & Adam.**

* * *

"If someone had kidnapped him, the maid would have noticed," Belle reasoned as they were still standing in the forest. "And the guards would have seen them as well."

Emma bit her lip, searching her mind for any explanation for Henry's disappearance that didn't include violence and her son being hurt or scared. Where was he? Had Morgause taken him, as well?

"So he left by himself, pretended to be sick and snuck out," David suggested. "He's gone off on his own before."

"This is ridiculous, why would he leave?" Regina said exasperated. "He doesn't have anywhere to go, he doesn't know anyone…"

"Actually," Robin threw in from the side, looking at his feet, "he does. He met someone here. _A girl._ "

Emma's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You mean, they… he likes her?"

Robin shrugged. "He said they were just friends, but he's a teenage boy, so who knows?"

"Henry is way too young for that!" Regina snapped. "He's still a child, he isn't interested in girls!"

Killian raised an eyebrow. "He's thirteen. At that age…"

"I don't want to know when and where you started sleeping around, Hook," Regina cut him off sharply. "Henry isn't like you."

The pirate gave her a smirk. "I was going to say I had an eye on the Captain's daughter."

"So he might have gone to meet that girl," Snow said, ending their argument and reminding them about the actual problem at hand. "Do you know anything about her, Robin?"

The thief sighed, searching his mind. "He mentioned that she had magic, and he helped her hide from the guards."

"So how do we find her?" Emma asked.

"Leave that to me."

Gold stirred in the shadows. It was the first time he had spoken since they left the ballroom.

"I can track him down."

Regina raised an eyebrow.

"You're suddenly willing to help us?"

"Believe it or not, but I do care about my grandson."

He looked at Emma and Regina.

"The three of us should be enough to find him. The rest of you should find a safer place, for the sake of the children."

Morgana looked around.

"I could bring us to Avalon," she suggested. "I have to go there, anyway. And as powerful as Morgause is, she still fears our mother. Nimue can help us fight her."

"Should we really split up?" Snow asked.

"He's right, mom," Emma said. "We have to find Henry, but we'll be safer in a small group, and the kids need a place to stay."

Killian approached her. "I don't like this plan," he mumbled.

"Me neither, but it's the only way. And this Nimue could help you find Calie."

He nodded and leaned in for a kiss. "Be careful," he mumbled as he pulled away.

"I always am."

...

Gold tightly held Emma's hand over the mud. Blood dripped from the cut in her palm, drenching the paper. He let go of her and waved his dagger over the dark drops on the ground. She pulled back her hand, healing the cut to get rid of the stinging pain. The mud took shape, forming hills and mountains, and a surface she could only assume meant trees. The blood drops moved over the mood, not mixing with it. Finally, it stopped moving.

Gold pointed at the map with his cane. "We are at the center," he explained, taking a look at their surroundings. "We need to head east."

Emma raised her eyebrows, wondering how he got that from a few lines in the mud, but she didn't object. All that mattered was finding Henry. And while she certainly didn't trust Gold as far as she could throw him, he knew more about magic that Regina and her combined.

"Why didn't we do this for Calie?" she asked instead.

"It's a simple location spell which can be blocked by a simple protection spell," he explained. "Morgause will have thought of that."

"I guess it's never easy," she muttered, following him through the woods.

For someone with a cane, he walked surprisingly fast. But, as Emma remembered, he didn't really need it when he had magic. He just used it, because… why did he even use it?

"Emma?" Regina said behind her.

She turned around.

"What?"

The other woman caught up with her.

"What do you think of this Morgana?" she asked.

Emma shrugged. "She probably saved our lives in the ballroom."

"So you trust her?"

Regina's pressing tone made her feel like she was at the wrong end of an interrogation.

"She's Killian's mom."

"Being a mother doesn't make you a saint. It certainly didn't stop my mother from… doing what she did."

"Yeah but Cora…"

"What?" Regina asked sharply.

"You always knew she was… kind of intense." Emma sighed. "Look, Regina, I don't know her, but I really hope, for Killian's sake, that she's on our side. And nothing she did made me doubt that."

"If she is working for Morgause, we have a problem," Regina insisted. "She is powerful, and we don't need another enemy."

"Just give her a chance. For Killian's sake. For now, let's focus on the enemies we _know_ we have. That's enough for me."

Regina didn't seem convinced, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she fell behind to match the narrow trail Gold had chosen.

"Is this it?" Emma asked, inspecting the cave in front of them.

The entrance was small and hidden, and they'd almost missed it. Still, it was big enough for a person to enter.

"Henry?" Regina called.

No one answered.

"He might not be here anymore," she said, exasperated. "We used the locator spell hours ago, he could be far away by now. He has no reason to hide in this cave."

"Let's take a look anyway," Emma said. "Who knows."

Before anyone could protest, she had entered the cave. Instantly, she felt the temperature drop. She shivered, hugging her body. It was dark as well, and it took her a while to get used to the light.

She didn't have to, as it turned out. Regina appeared next to her, the fire in her hand lighting the way.

Last of all, she heard the steady thud of Gold's cane somewhere behind them.

The cave was longer than it looked on the outside. They followed the path for a while, suddenly coming to a halt when they saw a shadow at the end of the tunnel.

"Who's there?" Emma called.

"Mom?" came the immediate response.

Emma abandoned all care and ran towards what she now recognized as a prison cell, Regina closely following her.

There were more people in the cell, a dark-haired girl – Henry's friend, she supposed – and a woman who looked vaguely familiar.

Henry was standing at the bars, clearly relieved to see them.

"Moms, thank God, I thought we were never gonna get out."

"Henry, what were you thinking?" Regina hissed, waving her hand at the lock.

When it didn't open, she frowned, trying again.

"Morgause sealed it with magic," Henry explained. "I tried to pick it, but it didn't work."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "You know how to pick a lock?"

"Yes. No. A little. I watched a video on Youtube. If you taught me…"

"No, Henry." She turned to Gold. "Can you open this?"

He stepped forward with a crooked smile, pointing his dagger at the cell. The lock sprang open immediately, and Henry pushed at the door, making his way out. He ran right into the arms of his mothers.

"Henry, why did you run away?" Emma asked, tightly hugging her son. "You could have gotten seriously hurt!"

"I know, I'm sorry, I just thought I could help you fight Morgause. You know, be a hero for once.

"You already are a hero!" Regina said. "What were you trying to achieve here?"

Henry freed himself from his mothers and pointed at the girl.

"I wanted to help Kara find her mom. She thought she was being held captive here."

Regina straightened her shoulders, looking at the girl in the shadows.

"So you are Kara?"

"Yeah," Henry quickly intervened. "She's my _friend_. Oh, and she's Killian's sister, by the way."

Emma's eyebrows shot up. As she looked at her more closely, she could clearly see the resemblance, and it wasn't just her dark hair. But hadn't he said that she was dead? Then again, he'd thought the same about his mother.

"And who's this?" she asked, nodding at the woman who had kept in the shadows, observing them.

"Oh, that," Henry said, his smile faltering. Suddenly, he seemed uneasy.

Gold stepped closer to the cell, and to her surprise Emma noticed that he was completely baffled.

"Milah?" he asked, almost in a whisper.

Emma felt her heart sink to her stomach. Milah? _Killian's_ Milah? Calie's mother?

She remembered a handdrawn picture she'd once seen of her. So that's why she seemed familiar. Wasn't she dead as well? Could the dead, please, for once, stop coming back? Until yesterday she'd been convinced that it was impossible to bring someone back from the dead, and now?

Milah herself slightly lifted her chin, apparently not too thrilled at the sight of her husband.

"Rumple."

"You're dead," Gold said. "I killed you."

"Sorry to disappoint you," she hissed, walking past him out of the cell.

Emma still stared at her, wondering what this meant. Her head was still racing. Milah was alive. It didn't matter how, she just was. Would Killian return to her? Decide that it was better for Calie to be around both her parents?

"We should get going," Regina said. "Who knows when Morgause comes back. We need to get to Avalon."

"Avalon?" Kara asked, surprised. "Why?"

"Your mother is taking the rest of us there," Regina explained to her.

Kara's eyebrows shot up. "My mother? She is not being held captive by Morgause?"

"I don't know if she was, but she's free now," Emma said, tearing her eyes from Milah. The brunette had noticed her staring, and she didn't want to embarrass herself anymore. She didn't know how she was supposed to feel about her, but she certainly didn't want to make a fool of herself.

The girl exhaled, clearly relieved.

As they left the cave, Regina slowed down, her brow creased. Emma looked back at her over her shoulder.

"Everything alright?" she asked.

The other woman nodded. "I think I'm just going to check on something. Don't wait for me, I'll find you later."

"Regina, we already split up, we can't break into any more groups!" Emma said, turning to face her.

The other's had stopped as well, watching the scene play out. Regina gave her a tight smile.

"I won't be long."

She waved her hand and disappeared in purple smoke.

"Regina!" Emma called, half worried, half pissed.

Could people please stop running off on their own? There was no use in waiting for her now, they could as well go. She turned around, her brows still furrowed.

"Let's go to Avalon," she said harshly.

...

 _For weeks after the incident, she couldn't sleep. Whenever she closed her eyes, unbidden pictures came to her mind, of people dropping dead on the street, an entire village eradicated from existence by her own hands. On those rare occasions that she did doze off, her sleep was restless and plagued by nightmares._

 _Everybody talked about the slaughter of Dumnonia, everyone blamed it on magic, and yet no one suspected her. Maybe that was what bothered her the most. Even Nimue and Arthur were willing to believe that Morgause had found a way to break through blood magic rather than think of the obvious answer. Brennan hadn't even once questioned that she wasn't feeling well and needed to rest, for two weeks already. Nobody deemed her capable of doing the things she had done._

 _Her sister's words echoed in her ears._

" _All your good will and nobility end when it comes to your children. For them, you would set the world ablaze and watch it burn down to ashes. You may love with an angel's heart, but you hate with the wrath of the seven hells."_

 _The wrath of the seven hells. That was what she felt for Morgause. And yet she was the only one to truly know her. Her dark side, the one she kept hidden from everyone, including herself. All it had taken was a dagger to her son's throat for her to kill a dozen of innocent, good people. No, not just kill, she could have flicked her wrist and sent them all to a sleep they would never wake up from. She had slaughtered them, and she had been covered in blood from head to toe._

 _Some, she had killed with magic, others with a sword._

 _And she knew, if given the same choice again, she wouldn't change a single thing._

 _The door opened, and a dark head of hair popped into the room._

" _Mommy?" he asked._

 _Morgana turned to see him, pushing her sinister thoughts aside and forcing herself to smile._

" _Killian!" she said. "Come in, honey."_

 _He closed the door behind him and came to her bed. His cheeks were flushed from playing in the outside, but his eyes were big and solemn as he looked at her._

" _Where are your siblings?" she asked, gently brushing some dust of his cheek with the back of her hand, close to the scar that had already started to heal. She had wiped his memory, but not her own. The mental image of him, helpless at Morgause's mercy, was enough to make her shudder._

" _Playing", the boy answered, shrugging off his boots and climbing onto the bed. "I was, too, but I missed you. When will you be better?"_

 _She smiled at him, trying to smooth his wind-ruffed hair._

" _Father said you needed lots of love to get better", Killian continued. "So I'll try to love you more. I don't know if I can, because I already love you so much, but I'll try."_

" _It's already helping, honey," she whispered, fighting the tears stinging in her eyes as she remembered what else her sister had said._

" _He got more from you than any other of your children. In fact, he is just like you."_

 _He was so pure, so sweet and loving. The very idea of her sweet baby boy filling his heart with darkness broke her heart, and she pulled him closer, protectively wrapping her arms around him._

" _Mommy, I love you very much, but you're squeezing me!" he complained._

 _She let out an amused laugh and loosened her grip, gently stroking his hair as his breathing calmed, until he was finally asleep._

" _I will protect you", she said when she was sure he didn't hear her anymore. "I won't let the darkness get you."_

 _Gently she pressed a kiss to the temple of the sleeping child._

" _I don't care if I have to sell my soul to the devil to keep you safe."_


	11. Nimue

**Disclaimer: Not my characters**

* * *

All the way to Avalon, Emma didn't say much. Her mind was working relentlessly, trying to understand everything that had happened. Milah was here, alive. Maybe she shouldn't be surprised. If Morgause could magically make a baby appear that had never been born, why not her mother, as well? It seemed so much more plausible that she'd just brought Milah back and let her give birth to Calie. Of course, that was assuming she knew how to bring back the back. Which she obviously did.

The truth was, she should have expected it. Considered it, at the very least. But she hadn't, because she hadn't wanted to believe it. With Calie there, the last thing she'd wanted to think about was the potential of her mother coming back, as well. And now it had happened. How should she deal with it?

She didn't want to be unfair. She didn't know what to think of her as a person. She knew she'd abandoned her son, but who was she to judge her without knowing her motives? And Killian had loved her. Christ, he'd spent two hundred years in Neverland for her, which meant that there must be something about her. Emma wasn't sure if that was good or bad. It'd be easier to just hate her.

Regina, on the other hand, had disappeared without saying a word of where she was going or what she was planning. The queen flying solo shouldn't surprise her, and she was the last person who should judge someone for a better-by-myself attitude, but she'd hoped that they'd all moved past that secrecy and distrust. Hadn't they seen, time and time again, that they were all stronger as a team?

Peeling some fruits for dinner, her eyes once again fixed on Milah. They hadn't talked much, although Rumplestiltskin had made sure to rub her relationship with Killian in Milah's face. Between their constant bickering, she was surprised that the ex-couple had made it this far without scratching each other's eyes out. How they had ever gotten married and raised a child together was a mystery to her.

Milah did seem interested in Henry. Emma tried to push away her suspicions towards her. She was his grandmother, after all, and had only recently learned that her son was dead. And Killian trusted her, didn't he? She surely wouldn't hurt Henry.

Besides, her son was more interested in Kara anyway. It was obvious that he had a crush on her, and the feeling seemed to be mutual. She felt a weird cocktail of emotions when she watched them together. There was happiness for him, maybe pride and relief that he was getting older and acting like a normal teenager amidst all this madness. But she also had the urge to press him close to her chest and stop him from ever aging, keep him as her little boy forever. And another little part of her wondered how weird this family tree was gonna get if he started seriously dating Killian's sister.

"What are you going to do about that?"

Emma flinched at the unexpected voice behind her, hand automatically going to her waist, where she normally kept her gun. She spun around.

Gold was standing behind her, leaning on his cane and his eyes fixed on his ex-wife. He often strolled off on his own, saying he couldn't be around Milah for long. Emma wondered where he went when he wasn't with them. Was he searching for Regina? She was something like his protégé, after all. At least when they weren't trying to kill each other.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Gold leaned in closer, briefly pointing at Milah with his cane.

"What do you think will happen when she is reunited with your dear captain and their daughter?"

Emma rolled her eyes. Yes, she'd thought about it many times, but when Gold said it, it just sounded ridiculous.

"She died two hundred years ago. Killian's over her."

"Are you really so sure?"

"Yes," she said through gritted teeth, trying not to let him get to her.

Gold shrugged, sitting down by the fire and warming his hands.

"They haven't seen each other yet," he said quietly. "And accidents happen."

Her eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

"Are you saying I should kill her? Seriously?"

Gold snorted. " _You_ couldn't if you tried." He turned away. "Just forget about this conversation."

"Forget about it?"

Emma got closer to him, struggling to keep her voice down. "There will be no accident," she said, trying to sound as threatening as possible. "Understood? Milah is coming with us to Avalon, and if she doesn't get there, I will make sure everyone knows exactly, why."

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into," Gold hissed, and it seemed to be his way of giving in.

She leaned back, watching him with a frown. This wasn't like him. The idea of killing his ex-wife was exactly what she'd expect, but the sloppiness with which he'd suggested it was very untypical for him.

Now he was quietly staring into the flames, cane lying beside him on the ground. Milah's appearance must have really thrown him off the track, she thought. She suddenly realized that Killian wasn't the only one who had loved her a long time ago. How did Gold feel about her now?

She shook her head. This wasn't her problem. She had enough to worry about at the moment.

Milah came to the fire, dropping a fresh load of dry branches and twigs into it. Her eyes were focused on the task, clearly avoiding to look at Gold or Emma. In the light of the flames her hollow cheeks and paperlike skin became even more apparent.

Emma hadn't known her before, but it was obvious that these were the tolls of months spent in Morgause's prison cell. If she was still feeling weak, she didn't show it, forcefully rubbing her hands to get the dust off them. And if she had overheard their conversation, she didn't show it, either.

...

Killian looked around the house. So this was Avalon. He'd heard of it, of course he had. But he'd never been here.

It was somehow a lot less impressive than he'd imagined. Sure, the house made from dark wood was certainly beautiful, and the carvings in the walls showed how old it was, but it was a lot less magical that he'd thought.

There was a big carving on the wall of the dining room, where they were all seated. It was a triple spiral, just like the one his mother wore around her neck.

His gaze shifted to his mother once again. He had still not gotten used to her being there. Maybe he never would. He longed to talk to her, to ask her how she could survive the fire, but he supposed that had to wait.

Nimue had seated them at the table, sitting at the head herself. Her chair was much bigger and fancier than the others', almost like a throne, but rather than making her tiny body disappear, it made her look taller and stronger. Her face was stern as she listened to their tale, and her fingers were curled around the edges of her chair. She looked like a matriarch if he'd ever seen one.

"So you want my help to defeat Morgause?" she asked, her voice echoing clearly in the hall.

"You are the only person she fears," Morgana said. "We can't beat her without you."

"Morgause is my daughter, too," Nimue said. "I already lost one, and now you want me to kill another?"

"Morgause is the reason you lost the first," Morgana reminded her, a sharp edge to her tone.

Nimue looked at the table, as if the solution was written on the surface.

"Everybody out," she said quietly. She pointed at Killian and his mother. "You can stay."

"But...," David began to protest.

Nimue cut him off coldly. "This is family business. Don't you have children to take care off?"

Morgana turned her head and gave the others an encouraging nod.

"Go, we can handle it."

Slowly, the others got up and left the room, closing the door behind them. Killian listened as their steps disappeared in the distance until he couldn't hear them anymore.

Nimue patted the seat to her left, opposite Morgana.

"Come here, Mordred. Let us all sit closer together."

He ignored the repeated use of his middle name and walked around the table, sitting down opposite his mother.

"Morgause killed Elaine," Morgana said, picking up right where she stopped. "She was just a child."

"I know," Nimue snapped. "You don't have to remind me."

"How can you protect her?"

"I am not protecting her," she said. "I am doing my duty. I am staying out of mundane affairs. I am protecting Avalon. It is not my job to run after children who have gone astray."

"Calie is your family," Killian said, unable to contain himself. His mother shot him a warning look. "You sent me a dream the night we found her. You told me to be careful. And you asked for my help to save Avalon."

Morgana's eyes widened as she listened, and she turned to look at her mother, expecting an explanation.

"This matters to you, and it concerns you. So help us."

Nimue looked at him coolly. "You are in no position to give me orders, Mordred."

"It's Killian," he corrected her through gritted teeth.

"A weak, mortal name," she scoffed. "Without doubt chosen by your father. Mordred is a name with a long tradition in our family."

"My name is Killian," he repeated adamantly. "So stop calling me Mordred."

Nimue didn't respond, but he saw her nostrils flaring. He didn't care if she was angry at him, her behavior drove him mad. She warned him. She came to him, and now she pretended like it didn't concern her?

"She is a le Fay," Morgana added. Don't pretend like you don't care about that."

"She is the child of a male le Fay," her mother corrected her. "She won't have magic."

"She might. Her mother does, I could feel it. It might be enough to channel it."

Nimue seemed intrigued, but Killian was confused.

"Calie's mother didn't have magic."

Morgana frowned. "I thought... the blonde..."

He shook his head. "Emma has magic, but she's not Calie's mother. It's a long story. And it doesn't matter."

He turned back to Nimue. "She is your great-granddaughter. If you care so much about family, you're going to save her, whether she has magic or not."

"I am bound to Avalon," Nimue said, and it was clear that her word was final. "I can provide you with knowledge. By doing so, I am already meddling more than I intended. But I will not leave Avalon to go to war against my daughter."

Killian wanted to say something, but his mother slightly shook her head, gesturing him to keep quiet. They'd lost.

"What about Kara?" Morgana asked. "Is she here?"

"She's alive?" Killian and Nimue asked simultaneously.

"Yes, of course. We survived together. I told her to go to Avalon!"

Morgana's eyes filled with worry.

"She didn't turn up here. Are you sure she's alive?"

"I saw her not long before the curse hit," Morgana said. "She must be."

Nimue seemed displeased.

"That is unfortunate."

"Excuse me?"

Morgana's voice was shrill. She swallowed and continued, trying to stay calm. "Why is it unfortunate that she is alive? She is my daughter!"

"Exactly," Nimue hissed. "If I'd known... it explains why Morgause took your daughter, M... Killian. This is her plan."

"What is her plan?" he asked, just as confused as his mother.

Nimue sighed. "The three-generation-spell. If you sacrifice three family members from different generations, in this case your mother, your sister and your daughter, you can absorb their power. If she succeeds, she will be able to beat me with ease."

Morgana rose from the table. "I have to go find Kara."

Nimue quickly got to her feet. "You stay here!" she thundered. "Your sister already has the babe, and we must assume she has your daughter, as well. If she gets you, we lose."

"Kara is my daughter!" Morgana yelled. "I have to find her, I can't leave her with Morgause..."

"As long as you are here, your daughter will be safe," Nimue said calmly. "She needs to keep her alive for the ritual, and she can't perform it without you."

"Just because she's alive it doesn't mean she's safe," Morgana whispered, tears in her eyes. "Who knows what Morgause is doing to her and Calie! Are you still not willing to help us?"

"As I said, I will assist you with my knowledge, but I cannot leave Avalon. Especially now that we know what she's after. And you, my child, must stay close to me. You will not leave, either."

Not allowing another word of protest, she left the room, leaving Killian alone with his mother for the first time in centuries.

Morgana hugged her body, looking at the floor. Killian watched her, internally conflicted.

He knew they both had children to worry about, and this was not the time for storytelling. But he had so much he wanted to talk about, or ask her.

He cleared his throat. "Mother?"

She turned around, wiping a tear of her cheek, and smiled at him.

"Killian. I didn't even get the chance to properly look at you."

She took his face in her hands, giving him the chance to study her face, as well.

In most cases, the first thing children knew about the world was their mother's face. It was a source of comfort, and something the never forgot. He had certainly never forgotten her, even though he'd lost her at a young age. But his childhood memory had become blurry over the years, and she looked slightly different than she had in his mind, for all those years. She looked a little older and a little more tired. She was definitely a lot shorter than he'd thought. As a child, she'd towered so high above him, and now she barely reached his chin. But the one thing that hadn't changed were her emerald eyes.

She smiled at him. "You're so tall."

Her eyes fell to his prosthetic hand. She grabbed it, holding it up.

"What happened to your hand?" she asked with concern.

"It's an old injury," he said, waving it off. "I picked a fight with the Dark One."

"The Dark One?" she asked. "And you're still alive?"

He shrugged, examining his good hand. "I have been known to survive difficult circumstances."

He could see her face fall when she spotted the ring on his index finger.

"What about Liam?" she whispered, dreading the answer.

"He... wasn't as fortunate," Killian said hoarsely, unable to look at her.

"How did it happen?"

"He, uh... he was a hero. A good man, so much better than me. Good captain. And he always saw the best in others. But the king who's navy we served in wasn't a good man. He sent us to find a wondrous cure, but when we arrived we were told it was deadly poison. He didn't intend to cure the wounded, he only cared about winning the war. Liam wouldn't believe it, and we got into a fight. He wanted to prove... I shouldn't have goaded him into it..."

He swallowed, his brother's death suddenly vivid before his inner eye. His mother was alive, his sister as well. Liam should be here celebrating with them.

"It's not your fault," Morgana whispered, pulling him in and hugging him tightly.

He could hear her quietly crying as she gently caressed his back, and breathing in her smell, he felt a tear run down his cheek as well. It really should be Liam who found her here, not him. He'd always been the better son, the better captain, and ultimately the better person.

He felt shame rise up in his chest as he remembered all the things his mother didn't know yet.

When she looked at him, she saw her little boy, all grown up and a little rough on the edge. In so many other people, the same face inflicted fear. His mother didn't know about all the crimes he'd committed and the lives he'd taken. What would she say when she found out?

"What did you do afterwards?" Morgana asked, as if she'd read his mind, stretching to rest her chin on his shoulders. He could still hear the tears in her voice. "Did you become captain after him?"

"Yes," Killian whispered, his heart pounding fast. "But... I didn't serve the king anymore."

"Of course not," she said. "Did you join a different navy or help bring him down?"

"I didn't serve any king," he said, swallowing hard and looking at the wall behind her. "I sailed under the crimson flag."

"Oh." Morgause pulled away a little to look at him, but he avoided her gaze.

He sat down at the table again, and she followed his lead, listening to his story.

"I wanted vengeance. I thought I could make the king pay by taking his money and sinking his ships. But after a while I really started to enjoy the freedom that came with being a pirate captain. I started to explore different sees. I met a woman, Milah, and fell in love. She's Calie's mother. We sailed the world together."

A smile ghosted over his face as he remembered those times.

"But the Dark One found us. He was her ex-husband, and he wasn't happy that she'd rather be with me than him. He killed her, and took my hand."

Morgana nodded, reaching for his prosthesis again.

"What about the blond woman?" she asked.

Killian smiled again. "Emma. After Milah's death I spent two hundred years lusting for revenge. I filled my heart with darkness, I... I did some truly horrible things. Emma made me want to be a better person. She saved me from the darkness."

Morgana smiled and nodded. "I'm glad you found someone like that." She picked up his good hand and kissed it. "You've been through so much...I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

"It's not your fault," he insisted, leaning forward. "It's Arthur's, and Morgause's. She forced you to use magic, and he sentenced you to death." He hesitated. "How did you survive?"

"It was a magic trick. Merlin's trick," she said. "As soon as they lit the pyre on fire, we disappeared. But it looked like we were there for everyone watching."

"It seemed very real," he whispered, shuddering.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that. I tried to come after you, but you'd already left Camelot, and I had to hide from Morgause. And then Merlin cast the curse."

Killian frowned. "Merlin cast it?"

"Yes. He was a very powerful magician. But even he had his limits. That curse cost him his life. He stopped time completely. He said that one day you would return, and then the curse would break."

Killian raised his eyebrows. "I broke the curse?" he asked surprised.

"You did. Merlin said that when you came back, we'd be able to defeat Morgause."

"So... I am supposed to defeat her?" he asked.

"No," Morgana said sharply. "Make no mistake, Killian. Morgause is a very dangerous woman, and the future a tricky thing. He specifically said we could defeat her _when_ you came back, not that _you_ would do it. It's about timing." She looked at him sternly. "Don't do anything rash."

He nodded, not looking her in the eye. His mother's words sounded reasonable, but he also knew that he would seize every chance he got to save Calie.

"How do Emma and the other's get to Avalon?" he asked to change the topic. "You could bring us here because you got Nimue's permission long ago. What about them?"

Morgana nodded, leading him to the front door of the house. She pointed at the big mirror on the wall.

"This shows the entrance to Avalon, the place where The Dark One will bring them. Once we see them there, we can open the passage for them."

She waved her hand to reveal the shore of the lake through which they had entered Avalon.

The others were already there. And they weren't alone.

"Bloody hell," he whispered as he watched Morgause throw a fireball at Emma.

She ducked, quickly countering with her own magic, but Morgause easily dodged the attack.

"She found them," Morgana said. Suddenly, she pointed at a spot behind Emma.

"Kara's there!"


	12. Belle

**Disclaimer: Not my characters.**

* * *

Emma didn't know how Morgause found them. Somehow, she'd been waiting for them, calmly humming a tune and smiling when they came around the corner.

She was too strong. She'd known that since she'd fought her over Calie's crib, but now it became even more apparent. Emma was prepared for her attacks, she managed to avert most of them, and yet it seemed impossible to hit her back.

She told Henry and Kara to hide behind her. Milah hovered under a tree after having been smashed into it. Still weakened from her imprisonment, she couldn't get back up. And without magic, what could she do?

Emma started to feel like there was nothing she could do, either, despite her powers. The only thing she seemed to manage was to buy time, but for what? Who would help them? Gold didn't seem too engaged in the fight, and since Morgause seemed to want Kara, she didn't bother with him, either. So what was she stalling for?

"Get away from my daughter!" suddenly someone yelled.

Morgana was there, and Killian. They had appeared out of thin air, and now Morgause was looking at them.

"We just keep running into each other, don't we, dear sister?" she said.

"I know what you're planning," Morgana hissed. "You're not getting my daughter!"

"Mother?" Kara asked incredulously.

A second later, they were standing in the hall of a house she'd never seen before. Morgause was still there.

"Oh, it's been ages since I last saw this place," she said. "Thank you, dear sister, for taking me here."

"Leave," Morgana hissed, striking her with her magic.

Morgause tumbled a little. "Oh, you surprised me there. Good work!"

"You are not welcome here," a cold voice suddenly said.

Emma turned around to see the source. A petite woman was standing in the doorway, her face stern.

Morgause's smile faded.

"Mother," she said.

The woman took another step toward her. Morgause disappeared. The woman looked at Morgana now, who failed to meet her eyes.

"I had no choice," she said through gritted teeth.

It suddenly occurred to Emma that this must be Nimue, the Lady of the Lake and Killian's grandmother. The resemblance between Morgana and her mother was clear, even though Morgana's face was somewhat sharper around the edges.

Nimue looked very small and fragile, but something about her posture clearly said the opposite.

"You let her in here," Nimue said, her voice trembling with anger. "Now she can come whenever she pleases!"

"My daughter was in danger. I couldn't just watch!" Morgana said through gritted teeth.

"This is why you will never be Lady of the Lake!" Nimue spat. "Power, love and wisdom, Morgana, how many times do I need to repeat that? One without the other two will only bring you grief. You let yourself be blinded by love again, as always."

With a look of utter disgust on her face, she turned around, walking away.

Morgana followed her with her gaze, eyes sparkling with anger. Her hands were clutched into fists and trembled by her side, and Emma almost expected the wall in front of them to light up in flames. Something about the look in her eyes reminded Emma of something, but she couldn't put a finger on it.

"Mother!" Kara said, and immediately her face relaxed.

"Kara!" she whispered, hugging her daughter tightly.

"Kara?" Killian mumbled, and the girl turned to hug him with her other arm.

"Hello, little brother," she teased. "You're so big now!"

"Ey, watch it!" he responded, but Emma could see that he was thrilled to have both of them back.

Next to her, Milah quietly groaned. Killian looked up, only now seeing her.

His face went from surprise to disbelief and joy, and finally confusion within seconds.

"Milah?" he whispered, hurrying to her and kneeling by her side.

"We found her in a cell," Emma explained, nervously licking her lips. "Morgause must've kept her there for a long time."

Killian nodded, feeling her pulse.

"She's so thin. Didn't she get anything to eat?" he asked.

"Is she hurt?" Morgana asked, coming up to her other side.

She quickly waved her hand over Milah's body, making all the tiny scratches and wounds disappear.

"She needs to rest. And eat," she declared. "But she should be alright."

Killian picked her up bridal style and carried her to a bed in the nearby room. Emma felt as if her heart had just been pierced by an icy shard. So this was it. She should have known. After all, he'd spent two hundred years grieving for Milah. Compared to that, the time he'd known her seemed so insignificant.

Killian covered his former lover with a blanket, eyes still fixed on her face.

"How is this possible?" he asked, half turning to Emma. "She was dead! Rumplestiltskin killed her!"

"Yeah, he didn't know, either," Emma said, turning to leave.

"Swan, wait." Killian caught her arm.

She raised an eyebrow, mentally bracing herself. Would he tell her straight away that he preferred Milah over her, or would he give her some lame excuse about needing time to figure it out?

"I'm glad you're ok," he said, hugging her.

She held him tightly, not wanting to let go.

Killian searched her face for something, but if he found it, he didn't say. Instead, he kissed her, brushing his thumb over her cheek and still holding her closely.

"I should go tell my parents I'm back," she said when he broke away, not giving him the time to say anything else.

...

"Rumple!" Milah shouted. She was standing in front of his door, well-rested and fed. Magic was, after all, a wondrous cure. "I know you're in there! Come out!"

Her ex-husband slowly emerged, leaning on his cane.

"Stop screaming, you're going to wake the baby", he said, closing the door behind himself and leading them both a little further up the hallway, away from the room where his wife and child were still sleeping. She searched his face for any kind of remorse, but she couldn't find it.

"You did this, didn't you?" she asked. "You told Morgause where we were headed. You could've gotten us all killed!"

Gold sighed, looking around. "Why would you assume that?"

"How else would she have found out? She couldn't have known that was the new entrance to Avalon, Nimue moved it after she kicked her out. I _asked_ her."

He gave her a cold smile. "Well, perhaps she knows her mother too well. Or she secretly followed us from the cave. There are so many possible explanations."

She narrowed her eyes. "Don't play games with me, Rumple. You might be able to fool them, but you can't fool me. I've known you longer than anyone of them. I've known you when you were nothing but the town coward. If you betrayed us, that means there was something in it for you. What is it? A way back home?"

He looked at her for a while, his jaw clenching and unclenching restlessly.

"Do you regret having left Bae?" he asked quietly.

"What?" Milah asked, taken aback by the question.

"Our _son_. Do you regret it?"

"Yes", she whispered. " _Of course_ I do!"

"What would you give to be able to tell him that? To look into his eyes, and maybe even see forgiveness there? After all, he forgave me, so anything is possible."

"What are you talking about, Rumple? Baelfire is dead!"

"Yes. So were you. Until Morgause brought you back."

Milah was quiet for a moment. She inhaled deeply.

"You made a deal with Morgause, didn't you? You betrayed us to bring back Bae."

"I _killed_ you and yet here you are. In all my years as The Dark One, the one thing I could never do was bring back the dead. _Really_ bring them back. She did it. Imagine what that would be like! We could get our son back!"

"At what price?"

"Sacrifices must be made. If you really regret what you did, if you really want to redeem yourself, help me get him back!"

"Don't speak like you're the master of redemption, Rumple! You're lying to everyone, including your wife, you're betraying your friends! And what about Henry? He's Baelfire's son!" Milah inhaled deeply. "Bringing him back would be selfish, and that is exactly what I don't want to be anymore. I'm sorry Rumple, but don't count on my help. Wait until the others hear of this."

She turned around to head back to the hall as quickly as possible, but suddenly Rumple appeared before her. His cane was gone. In his hand he was holding his dagger.

Milah's eyes widened in surprise.

"What are you going to do now?" she asked, trying to sound calm. "Kill me? Again?"

"It's nothing personal," he said with a smile. "Well, maybe a little. Consider this the first sacrifice."

Milah took a step back, but she already felt her windpipe tighten. Her hand went to her throat as she tried to breathe, sinking to her knees. Her vision got blurry as she still tried to inhale air.

"Stop!" someone shouted, and she could instantly breathe again. Coughing, she turned around. Belle was standing in the hallway, holding her child.

Rumple lowered his dagger.

"Belle…" he whispered.

"Let her go!" his wife demanded.

Rumple seemed to catch himself.

"Belle, I know you want to see the good in everyone, but she really deserves this…"

"This isn't about her." Belle's usually kind voice cut through the air like a whip. "You lied to me, Rumple. _Again_. I heard everything. So you want to make sacrifices? Kill the people who trust you, despite everything you've done to them? Do you really think Neal would want that? All this time you blinded me. I hoped our daughter would finally make you the man you promised to be."

Tears streamed down her face, but her voice never shook.

"I'm done with _hoping_ and _believing_. You clearly think I'm stupid and you can go behind my back without me noticing! Not anymore. I don't want to see you again until you're willing to _prove_ that you've changed. Go."

Rumple stepped back.

"Belle, I'll show you, I promise! I'll change!"

"I don't care about words anymore, Rumple! You've lied so many times, why would I believe you now? If I had the dagger, I would command you to go. I don't, but I swear if you don't leave now you've lost me forever. I'm sick of this!"

"Belle…," Rumple whispered, but she shook her head.

"Go!"

He gave her one last pained look before slowly waving his hand and disappearing in purple mist.

Belle fell to her knees, clutching her daughter to her chest and silently crying. Milah hesitated for a moment, then she sat down next to her.

"I'm sorry", she said.

"You hate him!" Belle whispered.

"I didn't say I was sorry for him. I'm sorry for you. As wonderful as love can be, it also causes us the most pain."

"Do you feel that way when you see Killian with Emma?" Belle suddenly asked.

Milah didn't answer.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get too personal."

"It's ok", Milah said. "I'm… glad he's happy. It's bad enough that he wasted two hundred years trying to avenge me. Emma helped him out of the darkness, and I'm grateful for that. Sometimes I just wish he'd remember that for me, it wasn't two hundred years. One moment we sailed the world together and it felt like nothing could ever stop us. And then suddenly that was… gone."

"You must've... must really love him. You left Rumple and Neal… Baelfire for him."

"I should've never left my son, I know that. I can't change it."

"But you would leave Rumple. Why did you marry him when you didn't love him?"

"It was complicated."

Belle nodded, wiping away her tears as good as she could with a child in her arms.

"I just… I just want to know what he was like then. If he was different. I keep believing that he can change, that he is a good man who was corrupted by power. But sometimes I doubt if there is a good version of himself that he can go back to. I mean, I know there is goodness in him, I've seen it, but that doesn't mean that he ever lived out that side."

Milah sighed.

"He was a good man. A coward, but still good. It was an arranged marriage. It was the perfect match, both of us weren't likely to find someone else to marry. My mother died early, drank herself to death. My father more or less raised me alone. He was afraid I would die an old maiden because no one wanted to marry me."

"Why not?"

Milah laughed.

"I was always known as the girl who rather spent her time in the forest than at home, learning how to knit. Who dreamed of adventures and fighting, and not sitting at home and washing my husband's clothes. I turned down the first few men who proposed to me. I didn't want to marry young and waste my youth in prison, what I thought marriage would be. I wanted to be free. At first my father encouraged me because he thought it would pass, but it didn't. I was nineteen when I married Rumple, in my time, that was old for a woman. He was a lot older than me. No one wanted to marry him because he was poor, and because his father had been a coward, so people thought he was, too. Turned out they were right."

"Did you always hate him so much?" Belle asked quietly.

Milah shook her head.

"No, I… I wanted to love him. I tried. But it didn't work out."

She hesitated. "There was a war. The first ogres war, a long time ago."

Belle nodded. "He injured himself to survive, he told me. Is that why you couldn't love him? Because he was a coward?"

"No. I somehow always knew he was a coward. I wasn't thrilled, but that's who he was. I was disappointed, because he had to go and prove to everyone how brave he was, even though he wasn't. Those people pushed and teased him every day, they didn't care about him either way, and he wanted to make them happy. I believed in him, but that wasn't enough for him."

She slightly shook her head, recounting events that seemed to have happened several lifetimes ago.

"Of course, he had to go and make things worse. As soon as the first rumors reached us, they started making fun of me, too. Every day they reminded me of what my husband did, and how heroically theirs died. When I gave birth, no one wanted to help me. They said a coward's son wasn't worth the food he ate, and if I had any common sense I would kill us both. And when Rumple came back, he couldn't even admit it. He pretended like he did the honorable thing, or the right thing. And he couldn't change it, either. I asked him, I _begged_ him to leave town so many times, to start over, but he didn't want to."

Milah licked her lips. She'd talked more than she intended. Belle sat next to her, still listening.

"But those were different times," she didn't added. "I saw how he looked at you. As much as I can't stand him… if he's going to change, it will be for you and your daughter."


	13. Regina

**Disclaimer: Still not my characters**

* * *

"If we know where Morgause is keeping Calie, what are we waiting for?" Milah asked.

They were all sitting around the table in the main hall, save for Nimue, Regina, Henry and Kara. They tried to keep the children out of the fight as much as possible, much to their dismay, but it just seemed irresponsible to let them participate. Regina was still nowhere to be found. The Lady of the Lake, on the other hand, had kept her promise to not help them, and Morgana's interference, which gave Morgause free passage to Avalon, had only made things worse.

"Nimue mentioned a place Morgause used for cover a long time ago," David reasoned. "We don't have any proof that she still does, and even keeps your daughter there."

"It's the only clue we've got," Milah said stubbornly.

Killian thoughtfully scratched his beard with his thumb.

"It might be worth looking at," he said.

Emma raised an eyebrow. Was he seriously considering this? Milah was grasping at straws.

"If she does keep Calie there, she will likely guard it. How do we get past her?"

"We need a distraction," Milah said as a matter of fact. Her voice was commanding, as if she was giving orders rather than making suggestions. "Then, while she's gone, one, maybe two people sneak inside and get our daughter."

The way she looked at Killian left no doubt as to who she thought that second person should be.

"We don't have th means to distract her," Emma said, deciding to intervene before anyone thought this was a good idea. "We already saw how powerful she is, there is nothing we can do to make her leave that place and risk losing Calie. If she is keeping her there, of course. We still don't know that."

"Yeah, she could probably fight all of us at once," David agreed. "Especially if Gold is helping her."

"Exactly," Emma said firmly. "I get that you want to find her as soon as possible, but if we attack her, we lose."

She suddenly realized that with Gold and Regina gone, and Morgana and Calie bound to Avalon, she was the only one with magic if they decided to fight Morgause. And she was clearly no match for her.

Milah didn't seem happy with the answer, but she seemed to accept that she was outvoted. For now.

"In that case, we should focus on finding Regina," Robin said. "She is probably in trouble. And we need her if we want to stand any chance at all."

"I'm worried as well," Snow said. "She wouldn't leave for this long without telling anywhere."

"Well, she did," Emma said. "Robin, no offense, but Regina chose to go off alone. I get that you wanna find her, and so do I, but we don't even know where to start searching. She has magic, she can just poof herself wherever she wants to go."

"So you just want to sit here and do nothing at all?" Milah asked sharply.

Emma opened her mouth, but before she could respond, Kara entered the room.

"That's exactly what we should do," she said, sitting down at the taböe. Henry closely followed her, not looking up as he sat down next to Belle.

"I thought you were told to go to bed!" Morgana said, looking at her daughter.

"Morgause plans to sacrifice me and Henry's sister, this concerns us, too," Kara said stubbornly. "As I said, we should just wait. Force her to make a move."

"How would that help us?" David asked. "We're not prepared to fight her, especially not on her terms!"

"It wouldn't be on her terms," Kara argued. "She needs mother and me, and if we don't come to her, she has to come to us."

"It's brilliant," Henry agreed. "Morgause can come to Avalon now, so we should let her. Nimue won't let Kara and Morgana leave, but if the fight is here, they can help. Together, we can bring Morgause down."

"Plus, if we're fighting in her precious home, Nimue will help us," Kara added.

"We can't just leave Calie in her power until she decides to come here!" Milah protested.

"She will be safe," Kara said. "She needs her alive for the ritual, she won't risk anything happening to her, as Nimue said."

"Just because Nimue said it, it's not okay," Morgana said sharply. "Quite the opposite actually."

Kara raised an eyebrow at her across the table. "Are you afraid I'll turn into her? Don't worry, I won't. But it's the smart thing to do."

David sighed. "I hate to admit it, but I think she's right. There's nothing else we can do, she's too powerful."

Killian nodded slowly. "I think you're right. Besides, if we bring the fight to her, Calie will be in danger, we cannotrisk her getting caught in the crossfire."

Milah quietly muttered an agreement, but she didn't seem happy. Emma couldn't blame her. Looking at Henry, she realized that she would act exactly the same if he was being held captive somewhere. And Calie was just a baby and therefore a lot more vulnerable and fragile.

Unbidden, a picture of Calie came to her mind, lying in her crib and sleeping. And suddenly, Emma truly realized that her life was on the line. They might not get her back. She might die. Killian would be devastated, and so would she. So far she had only seen this as another mission, and Calie as what stood between her and Killian.

But maybe she _had_ gotten attached to her in the last few months. And maybe she had acted stupid and jealous by making a baby responsible for problems in her relationship. Calie, after all, only wanted a home with a family who loved her. She didn't mean to drive anyone apart.

Emma felt stupid for just thinking these obvious things, but somehow, it felt as if she was only now thinking clearly. She clutched her hands into fists under the table, where no one could see, nails digging into her palms. They just had to find her.

"It's not enough," Milah said when everyone else had left. She was furiously pacing the room, arms crossed in front of her chest. "We can't just wait, there has to be something else we can do."

"I know," Killian mumbled. "But they're right. We can't beat Morgause on our own."

"What happened to you?" Milah asked, clearly disappointed. "You used to do whatever you thought was right, without looking back or spending hours worrying about what might g wrong!"

"You mean without thinking about the consequences," he said. "Like when I took you with me and didn't think about the child you were leaving behind."

"That wasn't you," she snapped. "It's not your burden to bear. I left him, and I will never forgive myself. But I made that choice, not you."

"But I didn't care," he said. "I didn't even question it, because I was scared that you would change your mind and stay with him. It was selfish. And you're right, a younger me would've plunged into this fight head first and gone to find her. And maybe I would've survived. Maybe she would've. But I can't rely on a maybe, not with my daughter. I have more than me to think about."

"She's my daughter, too, you know that, right?" she said quietly.

"Of course she is, it just slipped out...," he mumbled.

She shrugged, fingers threading through the material of the dress Nimue had given her. "It's fine, I understand. You raised her so far, with Emma. You didn't even know I was alive."

She tugged her hair behind her ear, giving him the chance to better look at her from the side.

His mother had healed her, but she was still incredibly thin and worn out. He wondered how she had managed not to lose her mind in that cell. He himself had never been imprisoned for more than a few weeks. Most of the time, in the waters that he faired, you didn't survive much longer than that. You could either flee from prison or be executed.

But Morgause had kept Milah for nine months, and another four in the knowledge that her child was in the hands of a lunatic witch. But she had always been mentally strong.

"I'm glad you're alive," he said, earning him a surprised look. "I know things are different now. Me being with Emma, 200 years later. I'm not the man you knew anymore. But it's still good to see you."

Milah smiled. "Thanks," she whispered.

Emma dug through piles of linen and leather on her quest for something more comfortable to wear. The wardrobe that they were allowed to use was quite big and contained more clothing than she had ever seen in one place, but most of it were dresses. Not really her first choice when preparing for a fight.

It seemed ridiculous, but choosing the right outfit was the only way she felt she could prepare. If she wore something that she could move and wield a sword in, no matter how useless a sword would be in this fight, then maybe she'd feel like they stood a chance.

She didn't even know if she needed to be ready now, or in a week, or maybe even a month. Waiting for Morgause to come to them might put them in a better position because that way, they could choose the ground, but Morgause could choose the time. They had no way of knowing when she would strike. They had to be ready every moment of every day and night. It had only been a few hours, but it was already straining.

None of them knew how she would strike. Would she announce her arrival? Would she sneak in and quietly take them out one by one? Try to kidnap Morgana and Kara when they were alone? Bring Calie with her and use her a leverage?

Every creak was suspicious. Every shadow could try to kill her.

Emma closed the wardrobe with an exasperated sigh. She wouldn''t find anything here. Maybe she should try to find another one. It would certainly keep her busy.

"Swan?"

She jumped at the sound of her name, spinning around and half lifting her hand in case she had to protect herself.

Killian was standing in the doorframe, still dressed in his ballrobes, save for the coat. He looked tired and worn out, with dark bags under his somewhat cloudy eyes. When was the last time he really slept? When was the last time anyone of them really slept?

"Hey," she said with a fleeting smile.

"What are you doing?" he asked, nodding towards the wardrobe.

She shrugged, sliding her hand over the closed wooden door.

"Trying to find something better to wear. This doesn't exactly qualify as combat clothing."

She pointed down her dress.

"I'll doubt you'll find anything here," he said, pronouncing what she had already suspected. He pushed off the doorframe, stepping into the room.

"The le Fay's seem to be very fond of their long dresses. I suppose if you have magic, you don't need practical clothes to force an enemy to his knees."

"It still wouldn't hurt," Emma muttered.

He nodded, coming closer yet again. He was now standing so close that she could feel the warmth radiating from his body, her shoulder still turned to him. She sensed that there was something he struggled to say. She looked up, turning to face him.

"What is it?" she asked.

Killian swallowed, and his forehead slightly creased.

"If I... If I don't make it, I just wanted to say goodbye," he said quietly.

"What are you talking about?" she whispered, eyes blown wide.

"Morgause doesn't need me," he continued. "I'm just in her way. I won't hold back, I can't, not with my daughter in her hands, but I don't have magic to defend myself. She could kill me with a thought if she wanted to."

Emma stared at him, refusing to let the truth of his words sink in.

"That won't happen," she stated, trying to convince herself as much as him. "You've been in so many fights, you survived in Neverland for two hundred years. You won't get killed by some crazy witch!"

Even as she said those words she was aware that her argument was weak. Suddenly it hit her that she could lose him. Not just him; her parents, her friends, her own life. And if they failed, Morgause would get through to Henry and little Neal.

She felt the fear clawing at her gut and gripping it with icy hands.

"I was just lucky," Killian said, but she barely heard him. "And I never faced a demon as powerful as her.

She saw her own fear reflected in his eyes. He wasn't just saying goodbye in case he didn't make it, he expected that he wouldn't. Morgause was an enemy he'd feared since childhood, and normally he would do anything to avoid a confrontation with her, but she didn't leave him a choice. She had his child.

"If I should die, promise me that you will take care of Calie," he continued, nervously licking his lips. "Please. I need to know that she'll be safe."

She nodded, stubbornly blinking away the tears stinging in her eyes. "We'll take care of her together," she said. She raised her hand to his face, cupping his cheek and feeling the scruff. It was longer than usual, since he didn't really have the time to shave. "You'll see her grow up. We'll raise her together."

She tried not to think about where Milah stood in that equation. That was a problem they could tackle once all this was over. She and Regina had found an agreement, as well, after all.

"But just in case," he insisted.

"I promise," she whispered.

Emma's hand slid to the back of his head and she pulled him, kissing him slowly and deeply. She pressed him closer, standing on her tiptoes as he slid his arms around her. She came up for air, but dove right in, trying to inhale every part of him. Maybe, if she held him closely enough, he wouldn't go away, and she wouldn't lose him.

Their kiss grew more passionate, and her hand raked through his dark hair, trying to hold onto him. The door closed at a flick of her hand as she pushed him towards the bed, fingers already working on the thread on his linen shirt.

He let out a gasp when his knees hit the bed and he was forced to sit down, but it was muffled by her mouth on his. She straddled his lap, finally breaking the kiss to rest her forehead against his. Her fingers were still gripping his now loose collar. She could hear him quietly panting.

"My parents could come in any second," she whispered, trying to be reasonably.

"Mmh," he hummed, leaning forward to pepper her neck with light kisses.

Her hands slid to the back of his shoulders for support.

"And we should be ready to fight in case Morgause comes."

She heard a quiet groan of disapproval as Killian's hands slid down her legs to the hem of her dress. She couldn't agree more.

"To hell with her," she muttered, dragging his shirt up over his head and lunging in for another kiss.

That witch wouldn't destroy this quiet moment.

When Killian entered the room, he found his mother and sister talking. They didn't notice him at first, and he stood in the doorframe, watching them with a smile on his lips. Sometimes he felt the urge to pinch himself, to be certain that he wasn't dreaming. His mother and sister, alive and well, could that really be true?

"When I had to stay at the castle, I told you to go to Avalon," Morgana said quietly. "Why didn't you?"

Kara shrugged, grinding her teeth and looking at the ground.

"I wanted to save you first."

"You would've been much safer with Nimue, and she could've helped me as well," Morgana argued.

"All I knew about her was that she abandoned you as a baby!" Kara snapped.

Killian couldn't help but smile. She had a point. He didn't trust Nimue either.

He shifted on his feet, and Morgana turned his head. She smiled, gesturing for him to come and sit next to them on the bed.

"I already told Kara about Liam," his mother said.

Kara looked away, her eyes shining suspiciously. Killian remembered how close she and Liam had been. Back then, he'd been the annoying baby brother they had to look after. They were much closer in age, always taking off together. Only later, when their father had left them, things had changed. Liam had started taking care of him, acting not just as his older brother, but as his parent, as well.

For Kara, Liam's death must be a shock. She remembered all of them as children, and suddenly she heard her best friend and brother was dead, and her baby brother a two hundred year old pirate.

"You told me about Liam, but what about Brennan?" Morgana asked. "Did he die, too? Did you and Liam grow up alone?"

Her eyes were filled with worry.

Killian felt a lump in his throat as he remembered his father lying on the ground, the knife protruding from his body. How could he tell them?

"He left us," he said. It was true, he had. Did he really have to tell them what happened more than a century after? "He booked passage on a ship and sailed away in the middle of the night, trading Liam and me for a boat."

"What?" Morgana asked, sucking in her breath.

"He wouldn't do that!" Kara exclaimed.

"He did," Killian said grimly. "He gambled away all his money, and when the soldiers waited for him to arrest him, the only thing he had left to offer were Liam and me."

"What happened after?" Morgana whispered, eyes blown wide.

"Well, we served on that ship for almost ten years. First under one captain, then another when the first one died. And then we managed to get into the Royal Navy." He decided to leave out Captain Flint's general treatment of the crew and the eye of the storm. "You know what happened after."

"And you never saw our father again?" Kara asked in disbelief.

Killian hesitated, deciding that he had to tell the truth.

"I did," he said quietly. "One more time, centuries later."

Quietly, he told them what happened and how he killed him to help his quest for revenge.

"You killed our father?" Kara whispered, looking at him in utter disbelief.

He could vividly imagine how he turned from her grown baby brother into a monster in her eyes within seconds.

"It did," he said, closing his eyes. "I wish I hadn't, but it's too late now."

His mother gently grabbed his hand. "You were angry," she said calmly. "And he hurt you."

"How could you?" Kara said between tears.

Killian opened his mouth, but he didn't know how to respond. Kara stormed out, wiping away her tears.

He wanted to go after her, but his mother stopped him.

"Let her. She'll calm down eventually," she said.

"No, she's right," Killian mumbled, turning to her. "I killed our father."

He frowned, looking at her. "Doesn't that bother you?"

She gently brushed a strand of hair out of his face. "It's not how I imagined things, but I'm glad you're alive at all."

He shook his head. "The last time you saw me, I was a little boy. I come back as a pirate. I was a villain. I killed dozens, probably hundreds of people. I killed my stepfather, _your husband_. You didn't even blink. How can you pretend like that doesn't bother you in the slightest?"

"Because it's nothing compared to what she did," suddenly someone said behind him.

Killian spun around. Regina stood in the doorframe, her face stern as always.

He raised an eyebrow. "You're back," he stated.

"I didn't expect you to miss me," she said cooly. "Aren't you curious where I went?"

"I assume you're about to tell me," he sighed.

Regina entered the room. If she was in any fight while she was away, her clothes didn't show it, being smooth and clean as always.

"I went to Dumnonia. Or, what's left of it."

"Dumnonia?" Killian asked, growing more and more confused. "Isn't that the kingdom Morgause destroyed?"

"Morgause didn't do that," Regina said, looking at Morgana. "Did she?"

"How can you be so sure?" Killian asked, looking at the two women.

"Because the spell is still up. Arthur said Morgause found a way to break it, but it's not broken. I couldn't enter. I only saw the damage from outside the gates. Whoever did it wasn't affected by the blood magic."

"A relative of Igraine?" Killian asked, still confused. "Who has magic in her family?"

"Not of Igraine. You know, I have given it some thought. Arthur mentioned he visited Dumnonia with his father, which means that Uther could enter. And so could Igraine and her family. The only person tying them together is Arthur, which means that the spell is linked to him. So whoever destroyed the kingdom and killed everyone has magic and is closely related to him."

Regina looked at Morgause. "I can only think of one person who fulfills these criteria."

Killian looked at his mother. "Don't be ridiculous," he said, half laughing.

Morgana's eyes met his before fixing on the ground. She was nervously picking her fingers.

"No," he whispered, his heart sinking to his stomach.

"She's Morgause's secret weapon," Regina continued. "I knew we couldn't trust her."

"Killian," Morgana started, breaking off.

"Please tell me this isn't true," he said quietly.

"I didn't have a choice!" she said, her voice shaking.

"No choice but to... slaughter an entire kingdom?"

"Morgause was threatening you, she would've killed you!" Morgana whispered.

Killian shook his head, clenching his jaw. Without another word, he left the room.


	14. Arthur

**TRIGGER WARNING: this chapter contains mentions of rape.**

 **Disclaimer: not my characters**

* * *

"So you went to Dumnonia to check on the blood magic?" Emma clarified.

She had her arms crossed in front of her chest and a frown on her face as she tried to take in the new information she was offered.

"Yes," Regina confirmed. "There was something off about the story. I was right."

Emma turned to Killian.

"So, _your mother_ killed all those people?"

He gave her a short nod, still focussing on a point on the ground somewhere behind her. His face was grim and he was clutching his jaw.

"Why?" she asked, knowing that it wasn't a great question to ask. But she didn't know what else to say.

"Apparently she was protecting me," he muttered.

Emma raised an eyebrow. "From whom?"

"Morgause."

She nodded. So Morgause was the ulterior enemy. She just exploited Morgana's love for her children to control her.

She looked at Killian. How did he feel about this? Clearly, he was upset.

Before she had the chance to say anything else, Nimue burst into the room. Not looking at everyone else, she stopped before Regina, firmly staring her down. Emma was still amazed at how scary this petite woman was when she was angry.

"How did you get here?" she hissed. "I didn't let you in."

Regina exchanged a look with Emma over Nimue's shoulder.

"I located my son with a spell and poofed here," she said.

"You shouldn't be able to do that. No one can come to Avalon just like that."

She turned away.

"This isn't good," she said, more to herself than to anyone else in the room. "Find your people and bring them to the main hall."

She left the room without waiting for their answer.

Emma looked at Killian and Regina, both as puzzled as she was.

"Was that the Lady of the Lake?" Regina asked.

Emma nodded. "Nimue," she said.

They followed her out into the hallway, knocking on the common room on their way to the main hall. Robin opened the door.

"Regina!" he exclaimed, jumping to her side and pulling her in for a hug. "Are you alright? Where have you been?"

Emma turned away to give them some privacy, quickly telling her parents what was going on.

Nimue waited for them, seated at the head of the table, as always. When they had all gathered, she started talking.

"The protection spell around Avalon is weakened. Morgause must've brought it down. As of now, anyone with a boat could enter."

"Can we put it back up?" Emma asked. "There's enough people with magic here, if we work together..."

Nimue shook her head. "It won't work. Besides, I used much of my magic to prepare a spell that could ban Morgause from setting foot here. Not that it will be of much use now. But I need time to recharge."

"Who could come here?" Snow asked. "I mean, Morgause is the biggest problem and she can come here anyway."

"Anyone could be a threat," Nimue stated. "Avalon is meant to be a private refuge, not a tactical base for a war."

She shot them a reproachful look.

"If Morgause brought it down, she has a plan. An ally she wants to bring here, maybe."

"Rumple?" Belle asked quietly.

"No. The Dark One was here before, he doesn't need an invitation."

"Should we prepare ourselves for battle?" David asked.

Nimue's head jerked around as if she was listening to a sound no one else could hear.

"It's too late," she said. "Someone is already here, I can feel it."

There was a knock on the door. Nimue got up, carefully opening it. They all tensed and prepared themselves to fight, if necessary.

"I am here on behalf of the king," a deep voice announced. Emma recognized Sir Gawain. "This place has been declared ungodly and unlawful. We are under orders to destroy it."

Emma managed to peek through the tiny gap that Nimue had opened. Her stomach clenched when she saw the army outside the door. Did Arthur send all his men here?

"You have two hours to discuss your surrender," Gawain continued. "Then we will take you with us to the castle and you will receive a fair trial. Otherwise, we will take the house with force."

Nimue closed the door without giving him an answer. She turned around, looking pale and unusually intimidated.

"How many are there?" David asked quietly. "Can we defeat them?"

Nimue shook her head. "Too many."

"But we have magic!" David protested.

"So what?" Regina asked. "You want to kill them all?"

"Morgause did this," Nimue said. "She sent them here. They wouldn't have known otherwise."

"What does she get out of it?" Emma asked.

"A distraction," Nimue whispered. "Maybe she made a deal with Arthur that she could keep Morgana and Kara."

She listened to the silence for a moment, but nobody said anything. She nodded, as if accepting that there was nothing left to stay, and left the room.

* * *

Killian sat alone at the desk in one of the bedrooms, impatiently drumming his fingers on the table. Everyone was in the main hall, discussing their options. He had excused himself and left. He couldn't be in the same room as his mother, not yet. Not after how she'd lied to him.

They had lost. The battle hadn't started yet, but that much was clear. They couldn't win against all these soldiers, and even if they did, they still had to face Morgause and Gold. They'd thought bringing the battle to them would be a good plan, but it wasn't. Now Henry, Kara and the babies were in danger as well.

No one was under any illusions when it came to the _fair trial_ that they were promised. His mother had gotten a so-called fair trial, and it had ended with her and his sister on the pyre. Not to mention that Nimue would never surrender Avalon.

"Are you trying to come up with a battle plan?" someone behind him asked.

He turned his head, surprised to see Nimue standing in the doorframe. She seemed much calmer than before, but he suspected that she had only regained her composure.

"I'm afraid there is not much we can do," she continued. "We cannot leave Avalon. This place is too important."

"They wouldn't let us if we tried," he muttered.

"That wouldn't be a problem," she said almost cheerfully. "There is a secret tunnel in the basement behind the potatoes, no one would see us. No, the main problem is Avalon. It cannot be abandoned under any circumstances. We cannot allow them to destroy it no matter the cost, you must understand that."

Killian frowned. Why was she telling him all this?

"The frustrating thing is that Arthur sits in his castle, all alone. He sent every single guard here to do his dirty work. He won't move a finger. Morgause has really outdone herself this time," she sighed. "I thought she couldn't do more damage than last time, when she stole those two love potions. One for Arthur, to ruin his wedding. It took a powerful and complicated spell to undo that one. I couldn't do that for poor Tristan."

Killian looked up, confused. "Tristan?" he asked.

"Oh yes," Nimue said. "She met him under the name of Iseult when she was supposed to marry King Mark of Misthaven. She slipped him the potion, making him madly in love with her. They found him lying next to her the next morning. Both swore that nothing happened, but the wedding had to be canceled. They couldn't be certain that her maidenhood was still intact. Tristan almost lost his knighthood."

"But the second potion was for my mother," Killian recalled the story Arthur had told him all those years ago, when he'd approached him at his mother's execution, telling him that he was his father.

"Oh no, dear, your mother was never under any sort of spell," Nimue said.

He frowned, trying to wrap his head around this new piece of information. It didn't make any sense.

"But if she wasn't under a spell, why would she sleep with him?" he asked.

"Because he wanted it, of course," Nimue said lightheartedly.

Killian felt his heart drop to his stomach.

"What are you saying?" he asked.

"He's a king, he doesn't ask permission. He takes what he wants."

"No," Killian whispered, feeling the blood drain from his face. "You're lying. That can't be the truth."

"I thought you knew," Nimue said simply.

Killian clenched his fist, feeling blind rage flare up in him. There was no way this could be true. And yet... His mother had never shown any signs of loving Arthur. Or thinking that she did because of a spell.

His nails dug into his flesh, drawing blood. He forcefully opened his fist, reaching for the hilt of the sword he had equipped in case of a battle.

"Arthur...," he whispered, his voice trembling.

He felt something familiar creep up in him, next to the rage. The darkness was always there. No matter how long he'd buried it, he knew it would never leave him alone as long as he lived. And right now, he saw no reason to resist it.

"He has to pay for this," he whispered, walking past Nimue towards the basement.

She didn't try to stop him.

* * *

Morgana paced up and down the room, trying to come up with a plan. At the very least, she needed to make sure Killian and Kara were safe. She couldn't risk losing either one of them.

Kara was sitting at the table, head resting on her hands. She blamed herself for suggesting that they waited for Morgause, but it wasn't her fault. Her plan had been good, and no one could'va anticipated this.

She was worried about Killian. He hadn't talked to her after learning her secret. She understood that he was angry, but she needed to make amends with him. She couldn't let this stand between them.

"Killian should be back by now," Emma said. "I'm gonna go look for him."

"I'll come with you," Morgana offered quickly. "You're right, neither of us should be alone right now."

As far as she understood, Emma was Killian's love, although they weren't married. There was also a connection to this Milah, Calie's mother, and she was still confused, but she hadn't asked, deciding that Killian would tell her when he wanted to.

She was happy that Killian had found someone, truly, but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel jealous. She had last seen her baby boy at age seven, and now he was all grown up, in the hands of another woman. He didn't need her anymore. Somehow, she felt as if he'd been taken away from her.

She followed Emma down the hallway, looking for him in every room. They didn't get far before the ran into Nimue.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't stop him!" Nimue said as soon as she saw them.

She was looking at Morgana, ignoring Emma.

"Stop who?" she asked.

"Mordred!" Nimue said. "We talked and I mentioned the story of his conception. I shouldn't have, but I thought he knew..."

Morgana felt as if she'd been punched in the gut.

"You did what?" she asked.

"He took off through the secret tunnel, he's going after Arthur," her mother continued.

"Arthur!" Emma exclaimed. "He can't do that! According to the book, Arthur is the one who kills him!"

They looked at each other, eyes blown wide.

"I have to go after him," Morgana whispered.

"You can't," Nimue said. "I put up a spell. I'm sorry, Morgana, but your boy is on his own."

"If you put up a spell, how did he leave?" she snarled angrily, clenching her fists.

Something was very wrong here. Avalon was facing destruction, she wouldn't just casually walk up to Killian to have a chat. She had a plan.

"He doesn't have magic," Nimue said. "He's not crucial to the fight."

"Emma, go back to the main hall," Morgana ordered. "Send someone after him. Someone who doesn't have magic. There is a secret passage in the basement, it should be possible to escape that way. Now."

Emma didn't argue, quickly disappearing down the hallway.

Morgana pushed Nimue into the next room.

"What are you planning?" she hissed, barely containing her anger. "What are you going to do to him?"

"I'm not doing anything," Nimue said innocently.

"Of course you are!" Morgana hissed, anger rising up in her chest. "He's just another pawn in your game of chess, isn't he? Have you decided to sacrifice him now?"

"Morgana, he is my grandson," her mother stated. "Please don't be ridiculous."

"Stop it!" she yelled. "Stop pretending like you care about family! You and I both know you only care about yourself and your precious Avalon."

Nimue looked at her sharply. "You should be careful with your words," she warned her calmly, but Morgana was too far gone to stop.

"Do you want to know why Morgause turned out the way she did? You ruined her. You ruined her, just like you do everyone you touch. You ruined her, you ruined me, and now you're playing games with my son, but I won't let you do that. I won't let you ruin him."

She could feel the magic prickling in her fingers, and she brushed it off angrily.

"You _created_ Morgause for her power, but when she was born, you were so scared that you locked her away! You took away the thing that she was born for. What did you expect? That her powers would just go away? That she would forget about them? No, instead, you have left her wanting for the thing you denied her. You keep talking about your precious trinity, about power, love and wisdom, but you never followed it, and you're the reason neither of us can."

She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. The prickling in her fingers was more aggressive now, she really needed to take a step back and regain control, but she didn't want to stop. It was all so clear now.

"And Elaine," she said. "Poor Elaine had to die. But who knows, maybe it was good that she did. At least you didn't get to ruin her. It was wise of you to have another child, yes. Morgause was clearly unfit to replace you, and I was married, so I couldn't, either. But where was your wisdom when she needed it? How could you not foresee that Morgause would come after her?"

She felt tears stinging in her eyes as she remembered her sweet sister, lying dead on the ground. She'd found her when visiting her mother for the spring equinox.

"And you?" Nimue asked. She didn't seem angry or upset, which was odd, but Morgana was too far gone to notice. "Tell me what I did to you."

"You left me," she whispered, tears running down her cheeks. "I was born as a result of your love for Uther, but you never loved me. You gave me up because he asked you to, you let me grow up with a stepmother who hated my guts. You let him marry me off. You didn't even care when Arthur did... what he did."

She swallowed hard, feeling little bursts of magic sprouting from her fingers. She realized that she was about to lose control, but she didn't care.

"Morgause was there for me. It was her fault, but she was by my side when Killian was born, not you. She never intended for things to happen the way they did. She just wanted to ruin Arthur's wedding, she didn't think he would go this far. Can you imagine that? My sister, who killed a little girl out of jealousy, who made this horrible thing happen to me and who now wants me dead apologized to me in tears! I was the only time I ever saw her cry. She nurtured me for almost a month that winter and saved my and Killian's life, she held my hand while my own mother couldn't even be bothered to come to my bed when I almost died in childbirth, because her precious winter solstice ritual was more important!"

She was talking very fast now, but the words wouldn't stop coming out of her mouth. The candles started flickering and she felt something rise up that she hadn't felt since Morgause held that knife to Killian's throat by the gates of Dumnonia all those years ago. And she realized what was about to happen, but she found herself unable to stop it.

"You didn't even care when Arthur sentenced me to death. I don't know how, but you didn't. How is that possible? Please tell me, because I don't understand! My son is dead. Liam died while we were all cursed, and it's killing me! I a, trying to tell myself that he lived long after I last saw him, that he got to grow up and die in honor, but I just... I want him here. I want him here more than I ever wanted anything."

The tears were coming out of her eyes in streams and the light flickered in tact with the violent shudders that went through her body.

"I want to see him, and I just want to protect him from anyone who would harm him. And I want Killian here and not wherever you sent him. I want to know that Kara is safe and not on top of Morgause's ingredient list, _how can you not feel these things?_ How can you use people, even your own family as if they were mere tools for you to get what you want?"

There was no escaping the darkness now. It was everywhere, creeping up inside her and threatening to drown her, pressing down on her from the outside.

"I need to leave! I need to find Killian before he faces Arthur. I need to stop him! _Let me go!_ "

"No," Nimue said simply. "I need you here."

A burst of magic left Morgana's hand as she screamed in rage. It brushed Nimue's cheek, leaving her bleeding from a cut.

She raised her hand to heal it and straightened her shoulders.

"You can do better than that. Come one, I can tell you're close. You know it's the only way."

"I'll kill you," Morgana said, her voice trembling weakly. "You know that, right? You're still weakened from the ritual."

"You could try."


	15. Calie

**Disclaimer: Not my characters**

 **A/N: This is the last chapter! I hope you enjoyed the journey as much as I did. Another huge shoutout to my wonderful beta, onceuponadisneypotter, and my amazing artists, thisisartyanna (who made one last amazing fanart for this chapter, it's on her blog) and captainodonoghue! I wouldn't have made it without them.**

 **Content warning: Minor character death and mentions of rape**

* * *

"ARTHUR!" Hook yelled, kicking open the door to the throne room.

Nimue was right; there was no guard to be seen. Given the opportunity to destroy the very heart of magic, Arthur had thrown all caution to the wind. He was almost disappointed. He would've loved to warm up a little.

The king of Camelot was idly sitting on his throne and polishing his sword. He looked up in alarm when Hook entered.

"Killian," he said, tightening the grip on his sword. "What are you doing here?"

Hook closed the door behind him. He didn't want Arthur to run away.

"Look we didn't get the chance to talk. I didn't recognize you, otherwise I would have reached out to you. I know we passed on bad terms..."

"Quiet," Hook snarled. "I don't want to hear what you have to say. I know what you did."

Arthur nervously licked his lips, stepping from one foot on the other. He didn't know what he was talking about.

"To my mother," Hook continued. "I know what you did to her."

Finally, Arthur understood. His eyes widened. His bloody blue eyes that he had inherited. Hook wanted to vomit right there.

"You don't know what you're talking about," the king said. "That was many years ago. I was young and foolish, I can see that now."

Hook growled, pulling his sword. "You should have thought about that before."

The first blow came unexpected for Arthur, and he barely managed to block it. Killian was almost disappointed; he wanted a good fight. He attacked again and again, forcing Arthur to lose ground.

Normally, he fought with finesse, but not now. Now he just brutally slashed at his opponent, trying to hit him. It didn't matter, where. He just wanted it to hurt.

Arthur's face was soon read and sweaty. He was clearly not in form, never having to fight himself. But his technique was good, he had to admit. Hook vaguely remembered him being a knight before he was crowned king.

And yet, he had clearly never faced an opponent who seriously wanted to harm him. It was ridiculously easy to make him lose his sword. Soon, Arthur was kneeling before him, his eyes closed as he awaited his death.

Hook was dissatisfied. He didn't want it to be this quick. He wanted it to hurt. But he would take what he got. He raised his sword.

"Wait!" someone shouted.

He turned and was surprised to see David running towards him.

"Killian, stop!" the prince yelled.

Hook turned back to Arthur, ignoring him. He focussed on his sword hanging in the air. Should he behead him? Stabbing was slower and more painful. He changed the angle of his sword.

""Killian, STOP!" David repeated, grabbing his hand. "You don't want to do this!"

"Oh, I assure you, I do," he said darkly.

"Look, I can see you're angry. But whatever he did, this isn't worth it!"

Hook shook his head to get rid of the little voice in his head. He wasn't willing to let go of the darkness so quickly.

"He bloody deserves this," he snarled, taking better aim. Maybe he should stab him through the eye.

"I'm sure he does," David said in his bargaining voice. "But you don't. This isn't about him, Killian, this is about you. You worked so hard to be where you are, don't let him undo that!"

Hook clenched his jaw. He had to kill Arthur for what he'd done. He just had to. But the bastard was getting in his head.

"Think about your daughter! Think about Emma! They wouldn't want you to do this. Are you really willing to let him destroy your happiness?"

Deciding he finally had enough of this, Hook thrust his sword down. The tip hit right before Arthur's knee, and the king flinched, letting out a whimper. He let got of the hilt, letting his sword clatter to the ground. Instead, his good hand found Arthur's neck, squeezing just enough to make him gasp for air.

"I won't kill you," he said quietly. "But if this was just you and me, I wouldn't hesitate a second."

Letting go of Arthur, Killian grabbed his sword and put it back in its sheath. He nodded at David, turning to leave the hall. The prince followed him.

* * *

After she had sent David after Killian, Emma returned to the spot where she had last seen Morgana and Nimue. They weren't there. Instead, she heard loud voices from a room nearby. She tried to open the door, but it was locked.

Suddenly, there was a loud thud. Then it was quiet.

The door opened, almost hitting her in the face. She jumped back.

Morgana emerged. She had that look on her face that Emma had seen briefly a few days ago. And now she knew who it reminded her of: Hook. Not Killian, but Captain Hook at his most vengeful.

She seemed calm, but one look in her eyes told Emma that she shouldn't get in her way if she valued her life. This wasn't the Morgana she knew. This was the Morgana who had slaughtered an entire kingdom to keep her son safe. And suddenly, she understood what was about to happen. She felt her stomach turn, but she knew that there was nothing she could do. She knew that Morgana wouldn't hesitate to kill her, as well, if necessary.

Only Nimue could stop her now. Emma looked back into the room as Morgana slowly walked down the hallway like an angel of death. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the tiny figure curled up on the floor. She knelt beside her, feeling for a pulse, even though she knew there was none.

In death, Nimue le Fay looked like a child, small and thin. All the authoritative air that usually surrounded her was gone. Emma stretched out two fingers to close her eyes as the first screams reached her ears.

She walked into the main hall where everyone was waiting with their eyes wide open. She pulled Henry close to her chest, trying to blend out the sounds from outside. She saw Kara sitting at the table, biting down on her thumb, and pulled her in as well. She held her until the screams stopped, which thankfully didn't take long.

The silence afterwards, however, seemed to last an eternity.

Finally, Regina opened the door to look outside. She nodded, and Robin followed her, while everyone else stayed inside. They came back quickly, carrying a barely conscious Morgana between them. No one said a word about what it looked like out there, and no one asked.

They sat her down in the big chair that had been Nimue's, because it had armrests. She barely managed not to fall out. Emma tried to ignore the dark liquid that had splashed her dress.

"Morgause is here," Kara suddenly said, turning all the attention to her.

Before anyone could ask her, how she knew, the door opened and the witch entered. She was closely followed by Gold.

"Well well, what do we have here?" Morgause said, smiling cheerfully. "Why is everyone so serious?"

"Where's my daughter?" Milah asked, stepping forward while reaching for her sword.

"Alive. For now." Morgause smiled at her. "But it's good to see you. You're doing really well outside of prison. Sadly, I can't allow that. You see, I have a promise to keep. I made a deal when I got you out of the underworld, and there is someone who prefers you a little more like... this."

She flicked her hand, and Milah's neck turned, making a horrible cracking sound that made Emma squeeze her eyes shut as a reflex. She heard someone gasp, and before she even looked, she knew, why.

Milah was lying on the ground, eyes open and lifeless. She looked away, only to see Gold staring at his again dead ex-wife. It was impossible to tell what he was feeling, but he seemed unable to look away.

"Now that I've held up that end of the bargain...," Morgause continued as if nothing had happened.

Her eyes fell on Morgana.

"Ah, my wonderful sister. I assume that is her work outside? Very impressive."

She made a step forward, but Kara stepped in her way.

"Get away from her," she said with a threatening tone in her voice.

"And just the other person that I need," Morgause smiled. "Rumple, tie her up for me, would you?"

"I'm not your pet," Gold snarled, but Morgause dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Henry said, putting himself in front of Kara before Emma could stop him.

"How lovely," Morgause snarled, snapping her fingers and producing a flame.

"HENRY!" Emma and Regina both yelled at the same time, but it was too late.

Henry turned away as the fire hit him. When his mothers had reached him, it was already over. Henry coughed from the smoke, clearing the air around him with his hand. He was unhurt.

"Don't you get it?" he said. "You can't hurt me!"

Morgause hissed angrily, getting ready to produce another flame.

Suddenly, she let out a sharp yelp, grabbing her waist. Dark blood flew out from in between her fingers.

Gold was standing right behind her, his hand still holding the dagger.

"That is my grandson you're attacking," he snarled.

Morgause still gasped for air, but her face turned to a smile.

"You foolish old man," she laughed. "You've stabbed me. So what? I can easily heal myself."

She waved her hand, but nothing happened.

"Actually, you can't," someone said from the door. "Sorry for the inconvenience."

They all turned to see the man that had entered.

"Hades," Morgause said weakly. "Why are you doing this? We h-had a deal."

"Yes," the God of the Underworld confirmed. "And you broke it."

"I sent her back to you!" Morgause yelled, her panic turning to anger as she looked at the amount of blood coming from the wound.

"No, you didn't," Hades said, nonchalantly stepping over Milah's body. "I understand that it's confusing, the dead look so alike if you look at them from this side. But in my world, death doesn't equal death."

He sat down by the table, crossing his legs.

"You see, I only get the souls that have unfinished business. It's fun to watch them struggle with all the things they did wrong in life, unable to ever resolve them. Just look at her, when she was in my realm, she constantly thought about her son, whom she abandoned. You can feel their guilt from miles away, and I promise you, their crying is better than Mozart. But," he said, holding up a finger, "you needed her for that child inside her, and you promised to give me both back in addition to your mother, sister, niece and nephew, didn't you? And you didn't give her back to me."

He got up again, kneeling beside Milah.

"Something or someone in this world made her hope - I know, nasty word - that her son would forgive her. On top of that, she died while fighting for her daughter. You see, she doesn't feel quite as guilty anymore. Ergo, she is not in the Underworld as you promised."

He looked up, pointing at the door.

"I do appreciate the little present you gave me out there, I really do. It's just that I am very picky, and you promised me this exact soul..."

"Hades, please," Morgause begged.

He squatted down in front of her, watching the blood leave her body open-mouthed.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I can't hear you. You'll have to tell me when you're down there. Actually, let me speed things up."

He grabbed her arm, disappearing into nothingness. Gold's dagger fell to the ground.

* * *

"Are you sure you will be fine?" Morgana asked, unwilling to let go of Kara.

"Yes, mother," her daughter replied. "I am the Lady of the Lake now, remember?"

Morgana sighed, pressing her daughter closer to her chest.

"It should be me," she said.

Kara shook her head. "You and I both know it can't. You shouldn't be around magic."

Emma smiled up at Killian, who was holding Calie. She had been exactly where Nimue predicted Morgause was keeping her. Tristan had been with her, working as Morgause's babysitter. Now that she was dead, he was finally free from the influence of the potion, and he had thanked them and apologized for his role in her kidnapping over and over again.

Calie seemed to be fine, considering the circumstances. Honestly, it was a relief that it hadn't been Morgause who was with her all the time.

Emma gently caressed her tiny hand with her thumb, while her index finger was wrapped tightly into her fist. It was good to see her again.

"You're free now, mother," Kara said. Nimue and Morgause are gone. Where you are going, you won't have magic, you will be too far gone from Avalon. You can start over."

Morgana smiled, kissing her daughter's head one more time.

Kara looked at Killian.

"Take care, of that one, little brother," she said, pointing at the sleeping baby. "And of yourself."

"Always," Killian smiled.

"And you," she said, looking at Henry. She seemed at loss for words for a moment. "Take care, as well. Maybe I'll hear from you again."

Henry, who was standing between Emma and Regina, nodded and said nothing. Instead, he smiled back. Emma wrapped her free arm around his shoulder. This was probably not how he had imagined things.

"Well," Kara said. "I supposed that's it."

She looked around all of them one more time before putting the apple she'd had in her hand on the ground. It started spinning, growing into a whirling mass of colors.

She watched as the stepped into it one after the other. Emma had to let go of Calie's hand so Killian could hold her closer to his chest, shielding her with his arms.

A few seconds later, they were standing in the middle of the main street of Storybrooke.

"It's as if we never left," David said, looking around.

Emma looked around for Killian, reaching for Calie's hand again. The little girl immediately captured her finger like she had before. Things had changed. And it was good that they had.


End file.
